The Raven, The Wolf & The Ocelot
by AyanoThe10Tailed
Summary: Jin Kazama wanted nothing to do with the Tekken tournaments, anymore. Asuka Kazama wanted to manage it all, alone. But, you don't always get what you want. Especially when your hopes for the future rely on the person you hate. Takes place after T6 and follows TTT2. Jisuka (Jin x Asuka)
1. Past Haunting

**Chapter 1**

**Past Haunting  
**

"Ama, I'm scared," said a small boy, with raven hair, as the rain pounded on the window, thunder booming outside.

"Why?" a woman with shoulder length hair, the same colour as her son's, replied. "Is it the thunder?"

The boy shook his head.

"It was raining when you left me," he whimpered. She smiled.

"It was just a bad dream. You know I'll never leave you."

"What if you do?"

"I'll take you with me if I can."

"And if you can't?"

She hugged him, tight. Her touch had somehow made him feel better, more reassured. As if all the scary and dark thoughts were chased out of him. He could never explain how she did it.

"Then I'm going to have to ask you to wait for me, Jin."

_Did you know you'd be killed soon? And if so, why ask me to wait for you?_

Jin was sitting on his bed, his legs against his chest and sobbing softly.

"Another nightmare, Jin?" his mother's voice came from somewhere in the darkness. It was soft and loving.

"I was killing people," he said, "So many people…"

She appeared next to him and pulled him close. Once again, the feelings of sadness and darkness vanished without a trace.

"Why was I killing people?" he asked.

"Jin, nightmares are never true. Don't beat yourself up about them."

"Why am I getting these nightmares in the first place?"

"I'm sorry, Jin," the woman replied with a sympathetic smile, "I'll tell you when you have learned to understand and forgive."

_It was the Devil Gene, wasn't it? Why couldn't you tell me then? And why put forgiveness in it?_

"Ama, can I ask you a question?" the boy asked his mother. She smiled.

"Of course."

"Why does evil exist in this world?"

The smile almost vanished but a tiny shadow remained.

"That's a tough question, Jin," she stated, slight seriousness in her voice.

"I'll be happy with any answer," he added, quickly. There was a pause before she replied.

"The first thing you need to know, Jin, is that evil is practiced for many reasons. Sometimes, there is no choice. Other times, it is in their hearts. There are times, even, when it is done to pave the way for good."

"How is that possible?" Jin asked, confused.

"It happens, Jin. Nevertheless, evil should exist in this world. Without it, there would be no good."

_I understand your teachings more than ever now. But __what does evil's existence have anything to do with good's presence?_

_Ama, where have you gone? I miss you more than anything. _

_I'm so lost. I need your teachings._

_Please come back. I don't know what to do next._

"**Are you ready for the King of Tekken Tournament?!**"

Jin Kazama awoke from a rather unsettling slumber as the television resounded through the dimly-lit room. His vision had just started to focus and he could have sworn he heard 'King of Tekken' coming from the television.

"It couldn't be," Jin murmured as he sat up from the couch and rubbed his eyes.

"**After six solo tournaments, the Mishima Zaibatsu announces the opening of the first TAG tournament! Fighters must battle through each other, as pairs, and best the CEO of the Zaibatsu, Heihachi Mishima himself! Winning the tournament comes with a $20,000,000 reward and the title of the 'King of Tekken'! For fighters who have not received an invitation, sign up for the tournament at this address...**"

An address flashed on the screen.

"**For more information about the tournament, call this number…**"

A number followed.

"**Get ready for the next battle!**"

Jin turned the television off and switched on his side table lamp. He began to contemplate on the situation. Jin was expecting it, sooner or later, but the news still shook him off-balance.

"He's finally went and done it," Jin said to himself, solemnly, massaging his forehead. It had only been six months since he killed Azazel and woke up in the desert, where he was immediately 'escorted' away by a ninja who called himself Raven and his colleagues. Just like everyone else, they were convinced that he launched World War III, but, surprisingly, when Jin explained his intentions behind it, Raven not only believed him, but pardoned him after this lengthy interrogation and offered a lift back to Japan, which he accepted after a little hesitation. Jin could still hear Raven's parting words.

"_I remember you from the fifth tournament and I know enough about the Mishimas to know what happened to you. I'm very sorry about your predicament, but I'm sure you'll find a way around it." _

Jin wasn't quite sure he believed these words, himself.

Yet his freed life was more or less just like the period of imprisonment. Shortly after he returned to Japan, Heihachi had taken over the Zaibatsu, which forced Jin to go into hiding to avoid being possibly captured by the Tekken Force, always wearing a hoodie every time he went out, changing his apartment every few days and going under an alias. After about three months of this, it seemed like Heihachi wasn't even interested in trying to lure Jin, or even Kazuya for that matter, which made Jin relax.

But now, two months later, it was clear he was still trying to do so. But if Heihachi thought he was going to enter this tournament, he was pressing his luck. This was a _tag_ tournament and the last thing he wanted to do was involve anybody else in the Mishima family matters. And then there was the fact that he really had no business entering the tournament this time. He didn't want a confrontation with Heihachi, Kazuya, Lars or any other fighter. He didn't want the money, he didn't want the title and he _especially _didn't want anything to do with the Mishima Zaibatsu. In fact, he didn't even know what he wanted any-more…

All the effort he made, all the lives he destroyed, all the planning he did… and it all came to nothing. Killing Azazel may have gotten rid of the 'greater evil' but he still had the damn tattoo on his shoulder. He still had the Devil Gene. He didn't know what else to do now. He tried everything to get rid of it, even trying to kill himself with every method, but it never worked. Then there were these dreams he'd get about his childhood before Ogre murdered his mother…

There was still the matter of putting an end to Heihachi and Kazuya but he'd find some way to do that without announcing publicly that he was still alive. He wasn't going to enter and that was that. With that absolute, Jin turned off the lamp and tried to slip into dreamless slumber, only to be haunted by his mother's face, the touch of comfort and the roar of a monster…

* * *

_**Well here it is… the first chapter of my first Tekken fic that I gave some serious thought about. It'll mostly revolve around the Kazamas but other characters will make appearances. And this is a Jisuka fic (Jin x Asuka) (Among others) so to those who don't like, don't read. And yes, I know it's called the King of Iron Fist but I've always preferred calling it King of Tekken cause that's the name of the bloody game. Anyway, the next chapter should be out soon, hopefully, though the rest of them will take longer to come out and I can't guarantee quick updates (Mind you, this'll be one hell of a long story) so please bear with me. May peace be upon you.**_


	2. The Ideal Woman

**Chapter 2**

**The Ideal Woman**

Asuka Kazama crept through the corridor, quietly making her way to the kitchen so as to not awake her father. After all, the hospital had finally let him come home after six months in ICU and the last thing she wanted to do was wake him up at three in the morning. She should have been sleeping as well but her mind just refused to rest and she decided to drink a glass or two of water to help. Though, considering the recent events, it was no wonder she couldn't sleep.

She had come a long way since the sixth Tekken tournament. Entering with the intention of capturing her relative, the CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu, Jin Kazama, she made her way towards the semi-finals before being taken down by Lars Alexandersson. But after she was clear that his goal was the fall of the Zaibatsu, she didn't mind walking away from the fray empty handed.

Upon arriving home, Asuka was overjoyed to know that her father had recovered from his assault enough to return home. Surprisingly, he wasn't very angry with Asuka for entering the last two Tekken tournaments. She wanted to know why but decided not to press her luck.

However, he would still tire very easily and had to rest more often, though Asuka attributed this to the fact that he was still recovering, despite the signs that age was catching up with him. Regardless, he could no longer continue to teach at the dojo and Asuka had to take it up. So she was now juggling academics, the dojo and taking care of her father, making her life very wearing, especially with the financial problems, but she more or less managed it.

Then one day, while checking the mail, she found an envelope that wasn't a bill, which they had plenty of, but an invitation to the Tekken Tag tournament. This made her contemplate on whether or not to enter the tournament. If she entered and won, she and her father would overcome their financial burdens for a decent amount of time. But it would take a long time and she wasn't sure she could leave him alone that long.

With this internal debate added to her stress that everyday life provided, her sleep was less fulfilling on most nights. And this was one of those nights.

She finally reached the end of the corridor to a flight of stairs and continued her descent. As she reached the last step, he stopped dead. The light was on and someone was sitting on the couch. She realized it was her father and wondered why _he_ was up in the dead of the night. Curiosity got the best of her and the words escaped before she could stop them.

"Dad, you're still awake?"

Her father turned his head, smiling when he saw her.

"Asuka! I'd say the same to you!" he said, heartily. "I was just looking through some old photo albums of when I was your age…"

"Really?" she replied, interest sparking in her as she walked over to sit next to him on the couch. "Who's that?"

Her eyes and finger fell on a picture of a woman. Even though the picture was aged, she radiated a sort of light and beauty. She had black hair that ended at her slender shoulders with bangs that parted to reveal brown eyes that somehow saw into Asuka's soul. Yet this woman had a kind face, graced with a slight smile, which amplified her beauty even more. She looked rather familiar, despite the fact that she's never seen her before.

"That's my sister, Jun," he said, reminiscently. "She was four years younger than me but we used to get along pretty well. Then again, Jun used to get along well with almost everyone she met. Very likeable personality, she had."

"Oh, really?" she said, encouraging him to go on.

"Everyone in our family agreed she was an excellent example of Yamato Nadeshiko," he added. "She was patient, quiet, wise, compassionate, forgiving… the ideal woman."

Asuka felt a twinge of guilt at these words. This woman, _her aunt_, was the opposite of herself in every way and her father called her the _ideal _woman. And she was loved by almost everyone.

Everyone she met so far referred to her as a 'nosy kid', which she really didn't think much about till now. And the fact that her father had such a smile on his face at her mention, it stirred something else in her. It was something like anger, something she was familiar with, and something she had never felt before…

She looked up at her father. She asked, irritably "How come she's never visited then?"

At this, there was a flicker of sadness in his dark eyes. He sighed.

"She was living in Yakushima with her son when she was attacked. By what, the authorities weren't sure. But they couldn't find her body, nor did they know what happened to her son and presumed them both dead. I was her only living family so I was informed. It's been six years…"

At this news, Asuka raised her hand to her mouth in shock and worry. The previous feelings vanished, only to be replaced by remorse at ever feeling angry. Then it struck her how rude she sounded when she asked her question.

"I'm so sorry… I didn't know," she said, hastily. But, strangely, he grinned.

"No need, Asuka. I never told you."

This did nothing to improve her mood. She turned to avoid his gaze.

"But you know, you do remind me of her somewhat," her father continued. Asuka held back a scoff. It was pretty obvious that they were nothing alike.

"After all, she had entered the second Tekken tournament, herself," he finished. Asuka's eyes widened and she turned to face him again.

"She was a fighter?! But the way you made her sound, I thought she'd be one of those 'prissy' types who wouldn't want to rip her dress or somethin'."

He laughed, heartily, at this.

"Jun!? Never! Even though she was well-mannered, she was an excellent fighter. Better than me even! She then later gained the title of 'Chosen One' and everyone expected great things from her. She was the pride and joy of the family. Made me a little jealous myself."

"You say it like I'm jealous of her too," she pouted.

"Asuka, you're not a very hard person to read," he said, amused. Hadn't heard that one in a **long** time.

She huffed in frustration and folded her arms and he pulled her into a one-armed hug, chuckling.

"Asuka, I'm just telling you what my relatives used to tell me. She was my sister so I loved her, regardless of her traits and abilities. And the same applies to you, though I take special note of your achievements; particularly, to your title of 'Gang Mediator'."

Asuka grinned at this.

"That's why I wasn't angry with you entering the tournament. It reminded me of her. Besides, it must have given you good fighting practice."

"I dunno, some of 'em were wimps," she smirked, her mood improving "Half of 'em didn't take me seriously. Showed 'em though, didn't I?"

Her father smiled.

"That's 'cause you're a Kazama! And my daughter," he added, proudly. She blushed, slightly, but hugged her father back. At least _he_ didn't think she was a nosy kid. Her eyes wandered to the top of the mahogany coffee table in front of them and fell on a bundle of envelopes. Her eyes narrowed when she remembered what those were.

"Say, dad…?" she started. He glanced at her, expectantly. She bit her tongue.

Should she even discuss the matters that were troubling her sleep?

Ought she tell him about how the dojo is not enough for managing the house and ask him whether or not she should enter the tournament?

Would he agree with her? Would he try to do something himself rather than let her take over, which he had attempted to do before Asuka reassured him she could?

"Nothing," she uttered, pathetically.

"Alright then," her father replied, nonchalantly. "Though you need to know something and I'd appreciate if you kept this in your head."

She sat up, alert. He closed the album at his knees and placed it on the table in front of him. He sighed before starting.

"You're a young adult now and you've got the right to make your own choices and decisions now. They may be wrong or right, they may cause difficulty to others or yourself or they may bring success to you and the people you care for. But know this... I'll be right behind you every step of the way… even if you'll be away for a while."

"Dad! You-"

"You're not very hard to read. I think I mentioned it a few seconds ago."

He smiled at her look of absolute shock.

"Good heavens, it's getting late," he remarked, gazing at a clock on the other side of the room and getting up. "I think I'll turn in for the night. What you say?"

Asuka was still recovering from the surprise of how efficiently her father could see through her so she didn't respond, immediately.

"Oh! U-um, well, I'll just have some water and I'll hit the sack, too," she responded.

"Good night, Asuka," he said, affectionately, before heading to the stairway. With his departure came new feelings of conflict. She couldn't help herself as her eyes fell once again on the red leaflet that lay on the table. She sighed in frustration and ran fingers through her hair.

What her father said was pretty much his way of letting her know that he could handle himself for as long as she'd take and she was a good fighter... But this sounded selfish that she'd even consider leaving him alone, just for a chance for some sport and money…

_What would Aunt Jun do at a time like this?_

The ideal woman, who was loved by everyone, who had fought in the second Tekken tournament… who died with her son years ago…

No… she couldn't leave for the tournament. Her father had no one else. No sister, no wife, just one daughter. They'd manage somehow but she couldn't leave him. For once, she would put aside her love of the fight…

She reached forward, grabbed the invitation and threw it across the room. Not paying any attention to where it could have landed, she heaved herself up and pursued the glass of water that promised her a good night's sleep.


	3. Rival Deficiency

**Chapter 3**

**Rival Deficiency **

"Where is Asuka Kazama?!" yelled Emilie 'Lili' de Rochefort in the middle of the hallway, directing the question to anyone and everyone within a 5 meter radius. Majority of the students were silent, while a few had taken to whispering but only one responded.

"Asuka hasn't come to school since last week," said an auburn-haired Japanese girl. Miharu was her name… or something similar to that. Regardless, this was simply unacceptable. Asuka Kazama was a **prime** example of a delinquent, but very rarely did she actually miss a day of school. The few times she was absent was whenever she took part in a Tekken tournament and Lili knew this well since she would do the same. But that couldn't be the case this time, seeing as the only tournament the Mishima Zaibatsu were planning on hosting was a tag tournament, and she knew **very **well that Asuka Kazama did not get along with a majority of the fighters. Well, it seemed like she would have to track her down if they were to have a rematch. Lili turned on her heels, sunny hair flying gracefully, and walked towards the entrance, while whipping out her cell phone.

"Sebastian! Prepare the car! We're leaving immediately!"

No sooner had she cut the call, her loyal butler arrived in front of the school in the pure white limousine she used for personal trips. She marched down the steps that lead to her school, a sense of urgency fuelling her stomps.

"We have to search for Asuka Kazama," Lili said, regally, as Sebastian opened the car door for her.

"At once, Miss Lili," he replied.

* * *

She could have been called tenacious for pursuing her rival to the degree she did. But this was more than just a simple case of 'I'll beat you for beating me'. She was undefeated in whichever street fighting tournament she took part in. But when she chose to participate in the Tekken tournament, a **formal **tournament, she was beaten by some Japanese girl who had the nerve to call her weak. Not only was her winning streak beaten, but her very style insulted! Of course she had sworn revenge, but then her father discovered her recent trips around the world were not passive in nature and placed her under house arrest. Her father was quite the pacifist, you see. But then there was the whole issue of the Mishima Zaibatsu launching World War III and her entering the sixth Tekken tournament. Though she didn't win this time either, she didn't get to face Asuka Kazama and have their rematch, which made no sense to her.

The public is told that the matches are randomized and that may be true in a few cases but most of the time, they would create confrontations that the fans would enjoy or between two people who had some sort of history, to make it more interesting. That was why those two sisters are always paired together, as well that white-haired man with the evil laugh and the creepy samurai/ninja who can't speak one word in any sensible language, seeing as those two rivalries were two of the **many** fan favourites. At least the people in charge didn't predetermine who wins the fight. She would have refused to participate had that been the case. That being said, shouldn't she have gotten her confrontation with Asuka Kazama? Surely, **someone** must enjoy their exchanges.

Nevertheless, she eventually got her fight when she got admission in Asuka Kazama's school, where she lost to her again. This process had been repeating quite more often than she would prefer, but she supposed it was probably because she didn't receive any formal training in combat. But that was hardly an excuse! If anything, these spars have been excellent practice and a good excuse to learn Asuka Kazama's strengths and weaknesses. It was only a matter of time before she would overcome her rival and be on top once again. She hoped they could still spar once that did happen, though. She found them incredibly enjoyable.

The limousine came to a smooth stop in front of the Kazama-Style Traditional Martial Arts Dojo. Lili wasted no time, opening the car door and sprinting towards the oriental themed building.

"The young Miss loves meeting with her friends," Sebastian smiled to himself. Lili somersaulted over the fence, landing on the soft grass of the lawn and stood straight.

"Asuka Kazama!" she spoke at the top of her lungs, "I've come for our duel! Don't think that you can skip out on it! Show yourself!"

There was a moment of silence, where Lili waited for a response, before the sliding door of the leftward side of the building, presumably belonging to the dojo, opened. There stood, not Asuka Kazama, but a boy wearing karate gear.

"Asuka-senpai* isn't here," he said, loudly, as a few other boys and girls gathered at the door with him, also dressed for combat.

"Well, then where is she?" Lili probed irritably, throwing her hair behind her.

"She's on her way to attend the Tekken tournament."

"What?! Why?! Did she find a partner?!"

"I'm not sure. Kazama-sensei** collapsed and had to be sent to the hospital. Asuka-senpai told me she was going to fight in the tournament to help with finances…"

* * *

"How's this possible?" Lili exclaimed, pacing back and forth beside her limo. "She has no friends among the other fighters! Does she really plan on co-operating with another person?"

"If I may, Miss Lili," Sebastian said, politely, "They did say that she was doing this for her father. It is very reminiscent of why you entered the tournament."

"That may be true, but it doesn't excuse the fact that she went to participate without letting me know!"

"Then, if I may suggest, why don't you join the tournament as well?"

"I've considered it time and time again," Lili stopped pacing at this, facing Sebastian, "But Father would never allow it! He's already reprimanded me for entering the sixth tournament. I had to beg for him to let me attend this school away from home. If he finds out that I went to this tournament too, I'll never be allowed in the sunlight again!"

"Miss Lili, the passion you hold for the fight and your friend is inspiring," Sebastian smiled, making him look 10 years younger. "It was marvellous, watching you perform in those tournaments, besting a fair share of them and enjoying yourself during it all. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to convince the Master if it means I get to see that smile you have when you fight."

Lili could not deny that it touched her heart just a little.

"It would be quite astonishing if you did," Lili said, nonchalantly. "Well, I suppose it's worth a try. Let's go back to the apartment, Sebastian."

"At once, Miss Lili," he bowed, immediately moving to open the car door for her.

_Don't think you are rid of me yet, Asuka Kazama!_

* * *

Asuka consistently stirred her hot chocolate. Clockwise once, counter-clockwise twice, each stir taking one second. She knew that this constant stirring would no longer make it 'hot' chocolate but it calmed her down so she'd just have to deal with it. She found travelling really tiring and irritating whether it was on road, in air or, in her current case, train. But train definitely ranked miles higher than air. Not only did her stomach do somersaults when they took off, her ears would hurt like hell in the second half of the trip. True, she was no stranger to pain, but at least you can squeeze the affected area or lick a scratch and it can go away and it's not like either option was possible for her ear canal. Oh yes, the train was **definitely** ten times better.

But no method of transport could've helped the horrible feeling she had in the pit of her stomach since she left for Tokyo. She felt like a massive hypocrite for going to the tournament after she had decided not to participate. Her father suddenly being re-admitted in the hospital after it seemed like he was home free was surprising yet disturbing. It seemed like Feng Wei's assault really would kill him sooner or later. The doctor said that he could be treated, but it seemed like he would never really recover completely and there would always be a risk of him collapsing again. Not only that, but they would charge extra. Asuka may not have been well-versed with anything medical beyond what you would find in a standard medical kit and the value of each treatment, but she couldn't help but feel like there was some foul play involved. But nothing could be done about it now.

She didn't know why, but when she realized how much more this was going to cost, she starting scrambling around her house, searching for the leaflet that went largely ignored until now. At the time, it didn't occur to her how insincere she was acting. _No,_ that feeling only reared its ugly head once she stepped on the train, a **good** amount of time after she packed her bags, left the students under the tutelage of Daisuke (the prodigy of the litter) and informed her father on what she planned to do. He didn't seem to mind at all, true to what he had told her that night. She wondered if he had the same expression on his face when her Aunt Jun left for the second tournament and, unknown to her family at the time, their lives forever.

She still wasn't sure she had made the right decision in leaving. Half of her felt as if she could've managed if she tutored the kids and took a few extra jobs here and there. And the chances of her and her 'partner' winning the tournament were quite slim if looked at realistically.

_Dear God Asuka, pull yourself together! When did you become such a wuss!? Besides, you made it pretty close the last two times! And with a decent partner, your chances should double, which means you'll win for sure!_

She took the spoon out of the cup before gulping the 'mildly warm' chocolate down in one gulp and set it down on the table with energy.

_Okay! This time I'll definitely win!_

The train would be arriving at Tokyo soon, according to the announcer, which felt like the point of no return, even though it really didn't take that long to travel between the two cities. Asuka gathered her belongings, consisting of one backpack and carry-along suitcase, and headed for the exit along with the rest of the passengers. First order of business would be to find the arena and immediately register before finding some cheap hotel to spend the remaining days in. After that, she'll just have to hope she'll end up with one of the less annoying fighters. God forbid that she'd end up as the partner of Rochefort or that Chinese girl with the pigtails. They had never really talked but her happy-go-lucky attitude really irritated her. Then there was the freaky pink-haired girl whose **head could fall off**, the dude with the cheetah/jaguar (like she could tell the difference) mask, the Hulk-like robot with the Mohawk, that creepy woman who could contort her body in ways that reminded her of The Grudge and dressed like a-

_I'm never gonna make any friends, am I?_

If she managed to cooperate with the sad sap that ended up as _her_ partner, she'd _really_ have something to brag about to her father.

* * *

_**I REALLY didn't want to use any weaboo language here but certain terms just sounded awkward with their literal translations so I ended up using them. For people who managed to avoid these words:-**_

_***Upperclassman, meaning someone who has more experience/worked longer/in a higher position than you in a workplace. I have a head-canon that Asuka likes being called senpai by the kids she substitutes.**_

_****Teacher or doctor. In this case, teacher.**_

_**Also, Lili and Sebastian were supposed to have French accents, but then I couldn't write them properly. Just pretend that the foreign characters speak with their respective accents. Let me know if there are some errors and what not.**_

_**May peace be upon you.**_


	4. Familial Despair

**Chapter 4**

**Familial Despair**

The arena was **colossal,** to say the least. Asuka was pretty sure it was _much_ bigger than the one used for the last tournament. It was circular in shape and was decked with large electronic billboards, half of which were off while the rest had white letters over a crimson background saying 'COMING SOON'. What they would display when the tournament began, she didn't know. But that time didn't seem so far away as she approached the building to register.

Signing up took little to no time, since Asuka was a returning fighter. She didn't need to bother with the documents and forms like she had to with the fifth tournament because they would just reuse old data. She went ahead and asked about how they would pair up the fighters, to which the guys at the registration table replied that the fighters who do not come with a pre-established partner would receive a random partner. At least, that's what the public will be told, which meant that the fan favourite rivals and partners would be teamed up together. So now it was guaranteed that her partner would be Rochefort, which was a damn shame, but there was no helping it.

She probably should have come with a partner beforehand. Now that she thought about it, there was Lei Wulong, that cross-dresser/tomboy, the Korean biker or even that fat dude who moved pretty fast for his body type. Well, she'd already let the brass know that she didn't have a partner in mind at the time, so now they would **make sure** she fought alongside Rochefort. Guess this is what she got for being such a hypocrite about entering this tournament. Asuka was just about to walk away from the table when one of the registration dudes said, "Oh, by the way! Some other woman came to register the first day! She looked pretty similar to you, but she signed under a different name…"

"For real?" Asuka said, turning on her heel to face him again. "And what was it?"

"It was…"

His smile vanished, suddenly, and he touched his forehead and strained his eyes, like he was trying hard to remember. After a few seconds, he looked up and replied, "I really don't remember. I could have sworn I knew it."

"It's cool, man. Don't worry about it," Asuka responded, not giving a second thought. She then waved to the two at the counter before heading off.

"See you at the tourney," they waved back.

A woman who resembled her? Then again, the dude was somewhere from the West, judging by his facial features, and she was well aware of how majority of her race looked the same to them. She wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

* * *

With three months left till the start of the Tag Tournament, Asuka eventually found a decent room in a motel not too far from the arena. The room was clean and smelled normal (a **drastic** change from the last room she lodged in for the sixth tournament) and she could see the arena's entrance from her window, which let her know who had come to sign up.

So far, from what she could remember, there was the Korean biker and his mentor (so he already had a partner… good for him), the Brazilian girl who was always half naked (didn't seem as happy as she normally was), the Chinese girl with the pig tails and her pet panda (wasn't that just lovely?), the chef with the spicy food and his son (if the strong resemblance between the two were to be trusted) and Miguel (she couldn't help but stare. This guy was, to put it bluntly, manly as **hell**). The rest of them must have either registered before or would do so later. She sincerely hoped that Rochefort wouldn't show up and she'd end up as the partner of someone else. She entertained the idea of being Miguel's partner, before quickly returning to reality. No way in hell that was happening. They hadn't even said a single word to each other, so she was sure the fans wouldn't want them in a team…

As the days went on, whenever Asuka would visit a restaurant or some store, or even take a walk through the street, she would occasionally spot one of her fellow brawlers, which didn't surprise her. After all, they _would_ stay near the arena till the tournament began, just like her. A few of them spotted her as well, but no-one actually interacted with her. No-one other than that tomboy/cross-dresser, Eleonore Kliesen, who preferred to be called Leo. The two of them became fast friends, oddly enough.

The two began to see each other every day through sharing lunch at a local deli, where they would discuss stuff like how this tournament may differ from its predecessors, or who would be teamed up with who and even things that didn't revolve around the tournament, like their likes and dislikes. One day, during one of these lunches, Leo started a discussion about something more… serious.

"Oh, by the way, how much do you know about what happened in the Mishima Zaibatsu after the sixth tourney?" the blonde brought up. Asuka raised an eyebrow in response. Leo sighed, setting down her sandwich before starting.

"That guy, Lars, ended up making it to the finals and dueling with Jin Kazama." (Asuka scowled at the mention of his name) "But nobody really knows what happened during their fight. Anyway, Jin Kazama went missing and Nina Williams took charge of the Zaibatsu. But only for some time before Heihachi Mishima managed to take over the company again."

"Come to think of it," Asuka said, thoughtfully. "You didn't mention whether he was joining the tourney."

"That's because no-one has seen or heard from him for months. For all we know, he could be in hiding… or dead," Leo added, as an afterthought. One that did not sit well with Asuka. Yes, she was all for kicking his ass for starting World War III but she never wished death upon anyone she hated, and he was no exception. She was hoping instead to beat some sense into the man or send him to jail or whatever is done to criminals as an alternative to the death penalty. The concept of death had always put a bad taste it her mouth but it had been disturbing her even more lately, ever since her father had been re-admitted into the hospital.

"So… you never told me why you were entering," the brunette stated, trying to change the subject.

"To try and find some information on my mother and the people she may have worked with," Leo responded, unfazed by the abrupt end of the last topic. "She used to work for the G-Corporation before she... was murdered."

_Dear God, death again… and a parent's…_

"I'm so sorry," Asuka whispered. Leo shrugged it off.

"Not much I can do now but pick up the pieces and move on," the blonde stated. "I have somewhere to start at least. Hopefully I'll be able to uncover something."

She smiled at Asuka before taking a bite out of her previously ignored sandwich. Asuka had to admit, that was pretty admirable of her.

"What was her name?"

"Come again?"

"Your mother's name. What was it?"

Leo was startled by her question but recovered quickly.

"Emma."

Asuka nodded in understanding, making a mental note to help however she could.

"What about you?" the German asked. "Why'd you come back?"

"Well, to be blunt, I'm here for the money," Asuka replied, rubbing her head sheepishly.

_"Ah._ I'm assuming financial problems?"

"And a dad in the hospital…"

Asuka was normally not this frank with people, but Leo had been so honest with her about her ordeals, she felt like she needed to return the favour.

"Ah. Say no more."(Asuka felt so grateful towards her. She was **not **used to telling people her problems) "It would have been nice to have met before. We could've teamed up and helped each other."

Remembering who she was to fight alongside, the Osakan school girl responded with an "Oh, you have _no idea _how much I would love that."

Leo laughed, and suddenly the atmosphere was light-hearted again, with Asuka feeling as if the two had become closer.

* * *

With two months left, Asuka starting feeling just a tad bit of worry, which was enough to encourage her to start training again. She and Leo would spar with each other as practice at a nearby gym, but they were not the only ones. The Brazilian girl (Christie Monteiro, according to Leo) had come to practice alone, one day.

"What's with her anyway?" Asuka brought up one day, observing the tanned brunette as she performed some Capoeira moves some distance away from them, the same scowl on her face from when Asuka first saw her. "She used to be all flirty and happy, and now she looks pissed as hell."

Leo glanced Christie's way, a sympathetic look on her face, before facing Asuka.

"Family problems," was all she said, which was fine by Asuka. She didn't want to know any-more. She had enough family problems of her own…

Steve Fox, the world famous boxer, also appeared once, alongside the American with the huge hair (Paul Phoenix, as Leo was kind enough to tell her). The two pairs sparred with their respective partners without saying a word. Asuka didn't want to tell Leo, but she noticed Steve's eyes falling on her blonde friend a **lot** more than what would be considered normal. But they weren't the creeper sort of eyes she had grown used to; what with her 'pleasing figure' (at least that's what she was told). No, they were more like the look you'd give someone you found suspicious. But he didn't make any attempt to come their way so she left it unsaid… for now.

The Korean biker and his mentor also came around another day (Hwoarang and Baek Doo San, though this time Asuka was interested in learning their names). As it turned out, she and Hwoarang had a lot in common, especially when it came to fighting. But when she told him her name, he seemed surprised and confused, which was probably because she had the same surname as a certain douche-bag. A little more probing proved that she was right. Apparently, Jin Kazama and Hwoarang were rivals (one-sided from Hwoarang's side, from what she could tell). She then casually changed the subject, not wanting to hear anything about the man who launched a war on the world. Leo was also quick to give her the 'So what's going on between you two?' look once they parted, to which Asuka replied with a sarcastic "Oh _please"._

Despite the fact that many of their fellow fighters did appear, Leo and Asuka would find that they would be alone on most days.

"So there's a strong chance of Lili being your partner, right?" Leo brought up on one of these days, sitting on the floor with a bottle of water in hand after a particularly hard work out.

"Are we… really… that entertaining?" Asuka panted, flopping down next to her. Leo grinned after taking a swig from the bottle.

"Well, even if I didn't know everyone, I would say it's pretty obvious that you too love to fight each other."

"It's all her, okay?" Asuka insisted, lying down on the floor with her arms behind her head. "I beat her in the fifth tournament and she didn't take it well. She even registered in the same school as me just so she could have a chance to spar with me every day."

"And…?"

"Well, we don't fight _everyday…"_

"Just as I thought."

"In my defence," Asuka said loudly, sitting up. "She pisses me off so much-"

"-That you lose your temper."

"And when I lose my temper…"

"You use your fists," Leo finished, laughing. Asuka looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Well it doesn't matter. She hasn't beaten me yet and I don't want her as my partner. But I'm sure the fans love us, so I'm stuck with her," Asuka scowled, crossing her arms.

"The things you have to do."

"Amen to that."

"Who do you think they'll pair me up with?" the blonde German asked. Asuka pursed her lips in thought.

"Maybe Steve Fox," Asuka chuckled. That statement confused Leo, which reminded Asuka that she had yet to tell her of the other day.

"Never mind," Asuka waved, as if fanning the very sentence away, smiling the entire time. Leo, still confused, just shrugged it off. Asuka had to admit, she hadn't enjoyed another person's company like this in a _long_ time. And it felt nice. It almost made her forget about her problems…

* * *

She turned his way, her eyes an ominous shade of yellow that seemed to glow in the darkness of the street. He stood rooted to the spot, not in fear but in shock.

_This woman…_

She started running and he followed. He kept yelling for her to wait but she didn't pay any heed to his requests.

Why would she just ignore him? Did she not recognise him?

She turned a corner. He did the same. He tried to stop her again. She just ran faster. He ran faster too.

She had to recognize him.

_All those years together… did she not remember? Was she even the right person? Her eyes…_

She climbed up a ladder. He followed suit.

Her eyes were not yellow in his memory. But could his memory be trusted?

_It had been so long… **No**! _

His memory was just fine!

_**She** had changed…_

She jumped over a gap. So did he.

He wanted to ask her.

_Ask what else had changed… **See **what else had changed… **If** anything else had changed…_

She stopped. He stopped.

_Where she went… Why she went…_

He walked towards her. She was turning quickly.

_Where she was going… Why she was going…_

He felt pain. Wind was rushing past his ears. His feet weren't touching the ground. He was falling… and she was gone…

* * *

"…So you're basically hitting with the force of an ox with very little effort on your part," Leo concluded.

"Wow," Asuka stared in awe. "You gotta teach me more sometime!"

"In due time, young pupil," Leo said, performing a mock bow. Asuka rolled her eyes, but it still amused her. When the road divided, the two waved goodbye to each other and followed their respective roads. As she made her way to her motel room, she tried to call her father, hoping to check up on him, but he wasn't answering. He was probably sleeping, considering how late it was. She pocketed her phone and looked around.

This area was a far-cry from the central parts of Tokyo, where she felt so tiny, surrounded by gigantic buildings and never-ending skyscrapers, all glittering with a million lights and billboards, with millions of people walking past each other. She was in the quieter part of the city, where the buildings were smaller and more down-to-earth (an apartment complex probably), which reminded her of her own home in Osaka. Seriously, she felt like she would hear some people arguing any second now and she'd rush over to settle the matter.

It was at that point that she heard someone yelling "Wait!" and the vigilante in her came to life.

_Speak of the devil! Just like back home!_

She followed the sounds of heavy footsteps, which sounded like they were coming from the roofs of the buildings. When she looked up, her deduction turned out to be spot on, noticing two figures jumping between the buildings, one running after the other.

_Oh, it was one of_ those_ cases, huh?_

This was the perfect chance to test her skills. She ran alongside the buildings while keeping her eyes open for a way to go up there herself. However, she eventually reached the last building on the street and a dead end. Panting, she looked up to locate the two and instead saw something that made her heart stop. One of them had jumped off the roof.

"What the crap?!" she yelled, not even thinking as she raced towards the falling figure, repeating a mantra of '_Shit! Shit! Shit!_' in her mind. Just as the person was meters away from the ground, Asuka leaped forward, her feet leaving the ground, praying to God that she would somehow make it, before she managed to tackle him mid-fall. The two of them tumbled as they hit the ground, with Asuka keeping her eyes shut tight and holding onto the body for dear life. Even once they had come to a halt, she continued to clutch onto the other's shirt, breathless. Once her breathing calmed down, she let go, sat up and hovered over the man (she found out after twenty seconds of holding his shirt that he was **definitely** male). He was wearing a flame-accented hoodie, which made it even more difficult to see his face in the dark.

"Hey!" she said, loudly. "You okay?"

He didn't respond. She immediately put her head on his chest, listening for a heartbeat, before he suddenly moved, knocking her over in the process.

"The hell!" she yelled as her head hit the concrete. Rubbing her skull furiously, she realized that he was on his feet and was looking at the roof. She scrambled to her feet.

"What the hell, man?!" she yelled. "What were you doin' jumpin' off buildings?! Were you _trying_ to kill yourself?! Don't just ignore me!"

He glanced her way, his face not visible, as if he just noticed she was there, then at the roof again.

"That wasn't my intention," he replied, simply, anger and sadness in his tone.

"Did someone push you then?"

He didn't reply to that.

"Well, there's _no need_ to thank me..." Asuka said, hoping he would catch on.

"Your help was unnecessary."

All the worry she had for him disappeared at that moment, replaced with irritation.

"What?! Look pal, I just saved your life-"

"I would have survived."

"Like hell you would have!" Asuka seethed, brandishing a finger his way. "I just went out of my way to help you! You should be thanking me!"

"I didn't ask for your help. Why must I show gratitude?" he replied, eyes still on the building.

She was livid at this point. The next thing she knew, he was on the floor again and her knuckles were aching.

"Asshole!" she screamed, not even waiting for him to reply as she turned on her heel and stomped away, wishing she had let him meet a gruesome end. Had Asuka stayed a little longer, she would've heard the words "What is wrong with me…?"

* * *

_**This is probably the longest chapter so far. Big thanks to all who have reviewed, favourited and followed so far. Glad there are some more Jisuka fans out there :D**_

_**This would have come out sooner if I didn't keep playing Tekken more than I wrote fan fiction. Don't you just love Jin and Asuka's win poses? And the fact that he has a tag throw with her? Ah, now if only Namco would give Asuka a part in the story other than her one-sided rivalry with Lili…**_

_**Same as always, feel free to tell me if there are some errors and what not.**_

_**May peace be upon you. **_


	5. Rubatosis

**Chapter 5**

**Rubatosis**

_He felt pain. Wind was rushing past his ears. His feet weren't touching the ground. He was falling… and she was gone…_

He was paralysed. So much so that his body did not respond and he waited for the painful contact with the ground, which could never kill him but would at least help him feel **something**… but it seemed like his senses were too numb, because the next thing he knew, he was on the floor and felt neither ache nor throb.

When he finally regained control of his body, he quickly got to his feet, knocking into something in the process, which turned out to be _someone_ as an indignant cry of "The hell!" pierced the silence, but that was the least of his problems. He looked up at the roof, hoping to see where _she_ vanished to.

"What the hell, man?! What were you doin' jumpin' off buildings?!" yelled an oddly familiar voice, to which he paid no heed. He would have to find a way back up as quickly as he could if he planned–

"Were you _trying_ to kill yourself?! Don't just ignore me!"

This person was slowly grating on his nerves. He turned her way, hoping to silence her, and realized who was shouting at him. It was the woman with the same last name as him.

Dear Lord, this woman was responsible for a massive headache when he first heard her name. As luck would have it, the one match he decided to watch during the fifth Tekken was the one that featured her. His first reaction was a strange blend of shock and curiosity, which he destroyed immediately. As little as he did know about his mother's side of the family, he knew enough to know that they were a pompous bunch who would jump at any chance for glory. From what he had observed during that fight, she was not graceful and poised like a Kazama is meant to be, but she was definitely arrogant when it came to her abilities. Granted, that would normally not irk him but he would never bring himself to forgive the Kazama clan for what they had done, even if _she_ did. He had forgotten all about her until today.

"That wasn't my intention," he replied, hoping it would shut her up.

"Did someone push you then?"

Ironically, this left him silent. There was no other possible explanation. She had kicked him off the roof, **deliberately.** He had been missing her since the day she disappeared from his life, and now when he was sure that she was alive and pursued her, she shunned him and sent him away. That, by itself, was incredibly despair-inducing.

"Well, there's _no need_ to thank me..."

So she was the reason he felt no pain.

He quickly turned up to the roof again.

"Your help was unnecessary."

His response came out more venomous than he would have liked, probably because the longer he tried to look for _her_, the faster his anger surfaced.

"What?! Look pal, I just saved your life–"

**Shut up…**

"I would have survived."

Where was she? How could she have–

"Like hell you would have!"

**Get lost…**

"I just went out of my way to help you! You should be thanking me!"

"I didn't ask for your help. Why must I show gratitude?" he spat, hearing the immense fury in his voice.

**Die…**

It occurred to him exactly what he was thinking and he realized that he needed to leave or calm down quickly. However, in the next second, this mind was thrown into disarray when she grabbed his wrist, pulled him toward her and punched him, **hard**. The fact that he wasn't expecting that meant it was enough to make him lose balance and land on the floor again. His eyes were only on her as she stood over him, her hands curling into tight fists and her eyes shining with rage.

"Asshole!" she screamed, before stomping away into the darkness, not once slowing down or looking back. Once the sounds of her feet receded, he went over everything that had happened. He felt no anger like he did seconds earlier, which meant that the Devil had receded. Thank the Lord for that. But then…

"What is wrong with me…?" he said aloud, not expecting an answer from the dark, quiet surroundings. He went ahead and took out his frustrations of losing _her_ on someone who only meant well. How was she to know that nothing could kill him at this point? He should have thanked her, even if she was a Kazama. How is it that in the course of a year, he had changed so much? He was never so rude, so quick to anger. It would only encourage the Devil to take over. True, he currently had a good hold over his alter ego, but Lord knows how long he could keep it up.

"_He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster_," his lips uttered what had since been burned into his mind. "_And when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you_."

He slowly got to his feet, massaging his shoulder where she struck him, and released a sigh. He had to get a move on or it would be too late.

* * *

"The nerve!" Asuka fumed, stomping down the dark street with no destination in mind. "He acts like _I'm_ the one at fault when _he's_ the one who jumped of an _effin'_ building!"

She turned right into a narrow alley, hoping to take out her anger on the various discarded items.

"Giant prick!" she shouted, kicking a card board box two meters ahead.

"Douche-bag!"

A brick flew after the box, barely missing a stray cat, which darted away after giving a hiss at his offender.

"Son of a bitch!" she yelled, picking up a trash can lid and flinging it forward. Before anything else could be done, there was a sound of a thud, followed by a "Mother fucker!" and many clunks and clangs, before silence took over. Asuka stood still, her anger replaced by panic. She tried to look for whatever had caused such commotion but she could barely see further than her feet in the dark. Perhaps walking into a dark alleyway at night, alone, wasn't the brightest of ideas…

"Uh… who's there?" Asuka asked, nervously. A few seconds passed with no reply until…

"…Fuck…"

Asuka jogged, tentatively, to where she assumed the noise came from, avoiding the debris and trash scattered on the floor. Eventually, her foot caught on something solid.

"…Ouch…" said a deep and gruff voice.

She stopped in her tracks and squinted at the obstacle. It looked like someone had fallen on the floor but she couldn't make out any details. She whipped out her phone and shined its light on the ground. It was a really tall man with messy dark brown hair, lying face down on the floor.

"Um… you okay?" she asked, quietly.

"…Does it look… like I'm okay?" he murmured, his words slightly slurred with a hint of anger behind them. "…Something hit my head…"

Asuka looked around the area with the aid of her phone and found what she thought to be the offender; a trash can lid. Her heart stopped when she put two and two together.

"W-well, I can't see anythin'!" Asuka stuttered, adding a short laugh for good measure. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him further.

"Can you stand?" Asuka inquired, pocketing her phone and crouching to his level, hoping to hear him better.

He propped his arms at his sides and attempted to get up, only to flop unto the floor again, which made her wonder if he had any other injuries that hindered his movement, increasing the amount of guilt she felt.

"Okay…" Asuka sighed. "Let me try now."

She was incredibly unsure if she would manage it, but she grabbed his shoulders and tried to lift him anyway. Slowly, but surely, she managed to prop him onto his knees and got to look at his face. Blood rushed to her face when she recognised his unshaven jaw, narrow eyes and tanned skin. Of course, the _one_ person, out of the **millions** that roamed this **effing** planet, who got hit by a lid **she** threw, **had** to be this dude!

Miguel raised his head and opened one eye, trying to take a look at his aide, and Asuka thanked God ten times over that it was dark.

"…You…"

Asuka recovered from the shock immediately and replied with a "Don't thank me just yet."

She repositioned herself by his side and wrapped her arm around his back, assisting him in his attempt to get up. Once he was on his feet, Asuka realised just how heavy he was… and how much he towered over her… and also how close they were… and that he smelled of something she wasn't too familiar with…

"Have you… been drinking?" she asked, cautiously.

"Not enough…"

She didn't want to ask what that meant.

"So… do you have any place to go or…" Asuka said, awkwardly.

"I'll walk there myself."

"Like hell you will," she said, the words leaving her mouth unconsciously.

"I'll be f–"

Thoughts of a hooded figure flitted through her mind.

"Don't you **even think** you'll be fine!" she interjected, meeting his eyes in a glare. Miguel stared her down with an indifferent expression but she stood firm. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh, admitting defeat.

* * *

They walked through the street with her half-carrying him, slowly and awkwardly. Their path was illuminated by street lights at regular intervals until they had reached the noise and bright lights of Central Tokyo. They both remained silent, despite being bombarded by the voices of strangers. Miguel kept his eyes on the floor, refusing to look anywhere else or say anything, other than the occasional "Right" or "Left". And Asuka wasn't any better, staring straight ahead. For the first time in a _long_ time, she was embarrassed… no, scratch that. She was _mortified._ Maybe she wouldn't be feeling this way if she hadn't been **so** insistent on helping him find his way.

"So… why were you in that alley anyway?" Asuka queried, hoping to break the awkward air. He didn't reply.

"Alright, my bad–"

"I was just passing by…" he mumbled. "And this thing… hit me out of nowhere…"

Quiet.

"Are you hurt?"

"Is that… a rhetorical question or do I have to… spell it out for you?"

"I meant are you injured anywhere else, because I'm sure you wouldn't have any problem getting up after that!" Asuka said, sternly. More silence.

"Probably…" he grimaced. Her eyes darted toward him for a split second before returning to the road and she whispered "That's what I thought."

"You're that girl…"

Asuka's heart was pounding in her ears, but even then she didn't miss that.

"…from the tournament…"

"And you're that guy from the tournament," Asuka added. A weak attempt at humour.

"The one who's always fighting with… that blonde…"

"_She_ fights with _me_," she replied, tired of all the accusations.

"You're related to Jin Kazama."

And there it was.

"Yes, I'm related to Jin Kazama," Asuka said, carefully controlling her tone. "What about it?"

He must have realised that the question irked her, because he paused before saying "Sorry."

"Forget about it," Asuka said. Her expression was indifferent but her heart was beating at the speed of light.

"…You must get that a lot…"

"Perhaps…"

They were mute for a few more steps, but in that moment, every other noise seemed to vanish and all she could hear was their footsteps and his ragged breathing.

"…It must be terrible… being related to that bastard…"

"First time I've heard that," Asuka smiled. But he continued as if he didn't hear her.

"All he does… is destroy lives…"

"Did he do something to you?" she probed.

"Maybe," he sighed. She took that as a sign to end this conversation and followed suit. The ambience kicked in right then, drowning out every other thought she had.

* * *

"Right here," he said.

It took a few seconds for her to realise that they were standing in front of the same motel she was staying in.

_He's in the same building as me?!_ How_ did I not see him before?!_

He detached himself from Asuka's grasp and leaned against the wall of the front of the structure while she was recovering from the shock of the new development.

"I'll take it from here," he met her gaze. "You should get going too."

_Apparently he doesn't know either…_

"Right," she responded, not willing to let him know this was her destination too. Maybe she'd just turn a corner and wait for a couple before–

"And… uh… thanks."

Her eyebrows went sky high and she immediately looked at her shoes.

"Oh, i-it was no big!" she laughed, nervously. "Well, see ya!"

She didn't even wait for a reply as she ran away. Yup. **Ran away**…

_Talk about awkward, Kazama!_

She turned at the first corner and hid from his view, breathless.

_**Dear God**, you're such a pansy_, said the real Asuka Kazama. _He just gave you what you had coming!_

Her face was burning and she felt like she'd die from palpitation, if that was even possible. A smile was slowly creeping on her face.

_Yup, you've lost it._

* * *

"…and Christie told me that they were announcing the teams today, so we should head there after…"

Something must have happened last night. That was the only conclusion Leo could come up with. Something must have happened, because Asuka was **never** this happy in the morning, especially when they had been waiting for their turn to order at their deli for half an hour.

"Asuka, is everything okay? You're not saying anything about the service or the long wait," the blonde asked, slightly disturbed by the wide smile on her friend's face. Asuka's raised her eyebrows.

"But there's nothing wrong with the service," she said, her tone surprisingly sweet. "In fact, the service is amazing! So it's only natural for so many people to be here."

"_Okay_, who are you and what have you done with Asuka Kazama?"

Asuka giggled. That's right. **Giggled**…

"I think I stand to gain an explanation," Leo said, beyond freaked out at that point. Asuka sighed, her wide grin replaced with a soft smile.

"I dunno what's wrong with me," she said, her expression not matching her words. The way the corners of her mouth upturned just slightly and the way she had that dazed look in her eye, it was almost as if…

"_Asuka Kazama_!" sang a feminine voice. Asuka and Leo immediately looked in the direction of the voice and were greeted by the sight of a young woman with long honey blonde hair clad in a frilled white dress, waving at Asuka with a pleasant grin through the glass window. Asuka's expression changed from content to pissed as hell so fast Leo didn't even catch the change.

"I _never_ would have thought I'd have the pleasure of meeting you _here_! Ah well, it's _all_ the better this way. Care to step outside?"

Asuka just stood there and Leo was about to tell her to ignore the demand when…

"_Asuka Kazama_! Surely, the _esteemed_ 'Gang Mediator' wouldn't walk away from a duel?! Oh well, I _suppose_ I was better fit for the title after all. Perhaps I should run off and perform your – I mean… _my _duties…"

"Is that the best she can–"

Asuka marched toward the door, determination in every step, leaving Leo to swallow her words. How could she have forgotten?

When it came to Asuka, Lili knew just the buttons to press to ensure the brunette reacted violently. Leo would've been impressed were she not anxious about the up-coming fight.

"You better get off that high horse before I knock you off it myself!" she could hear Asuka yell as Leo tried to rush outside but the crowd had formed a circle around Asuka and Lili, probably recognising them from the tournaments, and she had to squeeze through the mass of people, all of them wanting to be as close to the rivals as possible. She didn't know how, but she managed to break through just in time to see Asuka and Lili ease into their fighting stances. Someone from the audience shouted "Round one! Fight!"

Leo couldn't help but burst into laughter at that, only to quickly swallow her mirth when Lili's heel barely missed her nose in her attempts to land a hit on Asuka. Leo immediately backed away into the crowd, deciding to watch the two from a safe distance.

"Hey, you were in the tournament too!" shouted a woman on her right over the noise of the other spectators. Leo just nodded.

"You should join in!" bellowed the man on her left.

"Um… no thank you."

"Then can I take you out to dinner after this?!" asked the woman.

"Sorry, but I don't swing that way."

"_... _Wait. Then would that make you gay or straight?"

It was at that point that Leo tried to occupy some other place in the crowd and ended up spotting another familiar face. It was that Spanish fighter who had a vendetta against Jin Kazama, Miguel, and he was also watching the duel. What was particularly eye catching was the fact that he was dressed rather modestly, covered from neck to toe. Well… to be honest, the way he towered over everyone else, she would've ended up spotting him anyway. Seriously, how tall was this guy? He had to **at least** be six feet–

"Eyes on your opponent, Asuka Kazama!"

Leo snapped her attention back to the fight and saw Lili performing a flip and attempting to land on Asuka. Asuka, however, side stepped at the last second and thrust her open palm into Lili's abdomen as she landed, causing her to fly back from the force of the impact. Leo recognised the way Asuka's palm was flexed, with the fingers slightly bent and the palm being perfectly perpendicular to her arm…

"She used the technique I taught her," Leo muttered aloud, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards. She knew that Lili wouldn't get up easily after an attack like that and, thinking the fight over, tried to reach Asuka. Her deduction must have been correct because someone in the crowd hollered "Asuka Kazama wins!"

Once she managed to reach her friend's side, she got a glimpse of the whole scene. Lili was on her knees, clutching her stomach where Asuka had struck her, and Asuka and Miguel were staring each other down. There was no animosity in their gaze. It was more like a look of acknowledgement. Leo noticed that Asuka's face was developing some colour, probably from the effort put in the fight. The crowd was demanding an encore and Leo whispered a quick "Asuka, let's go."

Asuka jumped at her words, as if just realising that she was there, and turned to face her, muttering a "Right!"

"This fight isn't over yet, Asuka Kazama!" Lili exclaimed, finally getting to her feet. "Prepare yourself!"

"Rochefort," Asuka said, wearily. "I have better things to do and you can barely stand as it is. I'm leaving."

The crowd didn't take too kindly to her statement, however, as they blocked their path and shouted encouragement. Leo and Asuka exchanged a glance and Leo felt that round two was inevitable.

"Leave it, people!" shouted a deep and gruff voice. Asuka turned around and Leo followed suit. The crowd recognized Miguel as he spoke.

"You all still have the tournament! It'll look much better than a street fight!"

Everyone was silent for a few seconds as they processed his words, before murmurs of assent slowly took over the crowd and the mob dissipated. Lili, looking sullen, was approached by her butler and the two marched away together. Leo then heard Asuka say "Thanks."

Leo turned to see who she was talking too.

"They were blocking my way," replied Miguel, nonchalantly resting his left hand on his hip. She noticed that what little of his arm she could see was messily wrapped up with bandages.

"See you?" Asuka asked, her face still red. He replied with a "Who knows."

Miguel walked away and disappeared into the traffic of strangers, despite his height.

Leo was beyond confused. Asuka told her that she wasn't very friendly with any of the other fighters, so why were these two talking as if they had done so before? And why did Asuka end that fight so quickly? And then there was the fact that she had been red in the face and giddy ever since last… night…

_Ooooooh!_

"Leo, you said they were announcing the teams today right?"

Asuka turned toward her and Leo quickly replied "Yeah, they'd put them up on this bulletin board."

"Let's go."

"Huh?"

Asuka ran off and Leo immediately followed, yelling "To the arena then?!"

"There's a chance that Rochefort didn't register fast enough!" Asuka exclaimed as she dodged oncoming people in her rush to move forward. "I may have gotten a different partner!"

Leo understood immediately and jogged faster. Dear Lord, this day had become incredibly eventful…

They reached the arena in five minutes due to their speed and, despite their lack of breath, made a beeline for the large bulletin board near the front doors, which currently had one paper pinned in the middle. Leo had the sense to stop a few steps before the board while Asuka literally slammed into the wall in her haste. She recoiled from the impact, hand over her nose. Leo released a laugh that sounded more like a wheeze while Asuka just gave her nose a squeeze and leaned close to the paper. Leo slowly walked up to her friend, searching for her own name.

"I'm partnered with… Zafina," Leo stated, not sure how to feel. "The Egyptian lady… well at least it's not Anna Williams. What about you?"

The brunette said nothing.

"Asuka?"

Still nothing. She just stared at the paper. Leo swept through the paper, searching for Asuka's name.

"Ah here it… is…"

Lili's name was definitely not next to Asuka's name. No, instead there was 'Jin Kazama'.

* * *

_**I'm not too sure about that one part of the fight scene. Basically, Lili was doing 'Twist Backflip Fleuret' (the one where she does a backflip and then slaps you) while Asuka did 'Mist Palm Thrust' (the palm thrust she does while sidestepping) with the strength in Leo's 'Bao Hu Gui Shan' (the throw where she slams her palm on your stomach and you collapse).**_

_**And yes, this is**_ still _**a Jisuka fic, but I really wanted to put my 'Asuka like-likes Miguel' head-canon in this. Some may ask 'Why Miguel?' and to them I say that Asuka only likes 4 people (According to Tekken Tag 2) and they are Lei (Her Tekken 5 story), Leo (A nod to the Tekken Online Comic), Bob (I really can't explain this one. Maybe she likes his 'You look like fun' attitude) and Miguel (which is probably because he hates Jin too). First thing I thought was "Wow, most of these people didn't come till Tekken 6. Did she even have any friends in Tekken 5?" while the second was "Oooooooh I smell another crack ship! How many of those do we have now?" **__**I think we can all agree that 99% of Tekken ships are either one-sided or crack (the 1% being Christie and Eddie and Lars and Alisa... no point denying it! Their ship tease can be seen from space!).**_

_**As for the one crack ship we are all rooting for, we'll probably see more Jin-Asuka interactions in the next or next to next chapter, I dunno yet.**_

_**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed and such. I'm glad I'm getting everyone in character because that is always a concern for me. If anyone's acting weird or there are some errors, do let me know.**_

_**May peace be upon you.**_


	6. Frigid

**Chapter 6**

**Frigid**

"Hey, Leo, you there?"

"Yeah, I finally got off. Man, Zafina's really hard-core about training!"

"Is that why you never answer calls anymore?"

"If I don't get buff from this, I'm gonna be pissed."

"Sucks to be you, huh? Well, at least your partner–"

"–had the balls to show up. That's what you were gonna say, right?"

"… Maybe…"

"Look, I know you two have yet to train together, but I'm sure he'll contact you event–"

"There's only a **week** left, Leo! A week left and that son of a bitch has yet to show up!"

"You sure he has no number or–"

"No number, no email, no last seen locations, no friends–"

"Okay, okay! I get it!"

"I even asked Hwoarang if he knew anything and no dice."

"Have you tried asking Xiaoyu?"

"Who?"

"Ling Xiaoyu. You know, the Chinese girl with the glowing bracelets and the–"

"Ah! I remember! Stop! I remember her now… How would she help?"

"Well, she keeps talking about Jin. I assumed she knows him."

"Ugh… do I _have_ to?"

"No, you don't have to. In fact, you told me you wouldn't even bother anymore. I remember you specifically yelling 'Screw that son of a bitch! He can go die in a ditch for all I care'."

"And I meant it–"

"And that you would start training without him."

"I _am_! I am. But seriously, you can't blame me for being worried! What if they kick me out of the tournament if he doesn't show up? God damn it, I hate Rochefort even more now!"

"Look, Lili isn't to be blamed one hundred per cent–"

"If she hadn't decided to enter the tournament with her butler–"

"Don't you remember what the registration staff said?"

"Yeah, yeah, I remember! They were like 'We tried to pair you with Lei, blah, blah, blah, the computer didn't like it, etcetera, etcetera, you _have_ to be with Jin Kazama'."

"Actually, I'm sure it was more like 'There was error every time we entered a name other than Jin's'. But I'm sure you got the point anyway."

"Stop defending everyone else!"

"I'm not defending anyone. I'm trying to make you realise the point."

"What point?"

"The point that you knew very well what entering this tournament would entail. You knew you'd be fighting alongside someone you didn't like and I heard you accept that. Now they've just swapped one with another and Asuka Kazama is gonna let that bother her?"

"Lili's annoying but he… he's a monster! A criminal!"

"Asuka… think about your father."

"…"

"No one's asking you to get chummy with him. You just have to fight beside him. And think of it this way… he won three tournaments, alone. Having him as your partner would really help your chances."

"…"

"I know you hate him, and you have every right to, but you'll just have to stomach it this time."

"… _Alright_, alright. I get it. _Fine_, I'll go on like always."

"That's the spirit! Hey, if you're lucky, this could lead to some more conversations with _you know who_!"

"I know _who_?"

"_Oh_, never mind. Listen, it's ten o' clock right now. I have to go if I plan on getting eight hours of sleep. I told you how Zafina just pops up at my door at **four in the morning**, right?"

"Yeah, you did. Really hard core."

"_Thank_ _you_! I'll call you if I get the chance, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Bye."

Asuka hung up the call and pried her nose away from her window. She had been gazing at the arena from her room throughout the entire call, somewhat mesmerised by its glittering lights. She could still recall how it was when she first arrived three months ago. Now it looked much livelier than it was then. It was to be expected of course, considering the first match would be in a week. They'd be expected to arrive there in two days, though, as that would be when they share the finalised, official teams with the public. After that, the reporters start stalking everyone participating in and related to the tournament, hoping for some exclusive interviews and little snip bits for when the tournament starts. _Oh_, how she looked forward to that, especially once they found out who her partner was. She could imagine their questions already, and it exhausted her even further after a whole day of intense practice. She was sure she'd fall asleep right there…

…Until she actually lay down in her bed. Then her mind suddenly started reflecting on the events past, which really just consisted of her cursing at her unaccounted for partner.

'Go to sleep,' she repeated to herself in her mind, which had become a nightly ritual. 'End this mess of a day. Go to sleep.'

She continued to stare at the ceiling for what felt like hours. The pale blue turned a dull white, decorated with ancient paintings of women in elaborate kimonos, and the faint sounds of the urban night-life were slowly replaced by a muffled voice calling out to her, calmly giving her instructions. And she was supposed to follow them swiftly and without complaint… only there was a problem after the first action. She looked in the direction of the voice, greeted by the image of her father, sitting cross-legged on a large cushion.

"Asuka, sweetheart, you're supposed to firmly raise your hand up, not punch them in the jaw," he instructed, wearily.

"But that won't help me in a real fight!" she heard her voice say. "It'll be like poking them!"

"Not if you do it right," he replied, while Asuka scoffed in disbelief. "This fighting style has been used for generations, and it has yet to betray us during duels–"

"But it's more… _dance_!" Asuka interjected. "It's like you're hoping to bore the other guy into giving up!"

"Asuka…" he sighed, holding the bridge of his nose.

"I think it's a pretty dance, though," said a female voice. Both father and daughter looked at the sliding doors of the dojo, simultaneously, and were greeted by the sight of Asuka's mother leaning against the door's frame, a slight smile present on her face.

"It's an ancient tradition that has transcended centuries, not a dance…" said Master Kazama, smiling at his wife. Asuka immediately dropped onto the floor, crossing her legs and throwing her arms in the air, shouting "Mom, save me!"

"I thought you liked fighting, Asuka?"

"…Yeah, but _real_ fighting! Not the old man karate I have to learn…" she huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. Mrs Kazama laughed.

"I'm sure you're just upset you can't alter a few moves," she mused.

"Spot on, as always," Master Kazama chuckled, much to Asuka's displeasure. "You're not very hard to read, Asuka."

"I know, I _know_," Asuka groaned, having heard this very line too many times already. Her parents shared a knowing smile. A loud chime echoed throughout the house, most probably from that miniature grandfather clock they had in the kitchen, which was shortly followed by the sounds of knocking.

"Never late, they are," Master Kazama said, rising to his feet.

"The old farts are here?" Asuka queried, attempting to do the same.

"I'd forgotten all about them…" Mrs Kazama retorted, a prominent frown visible on her face. "Good thing I made some tea…"

"Asuka–" he began, but Asuka interrupted him with a "Yeah, I know. Class dismissed."

"But I–"

"–Still expect me to practice, I _know_…"

"That's my girl…"

Her parents left the room while closing the door behind them, her mother incredibly displeased. She never really approved of the amount of practice her daughter was subjected to, even if it was 'family tradition', nor did she like those geezers who would come over on the odd occasion. Asuka never asked her why, though, as it never bothered her that much.

Once sure that they weren't near, she flopped back onto the floor, soundlessly, and spread her limbs. A little break wouldn't hurt anyone…

"Good afternoon, gentlemen!" she could hear her mother say in a convincingly enthusiastic voice.

"Afternoon, Kaede," replied a solemn, wheezy voice.

"Right this way," she followed, cutting all chances of a conversation. It was scary how good she was at faking manners… you couldn't even tell if she's being genuinely nice or silently wishing for your slow and gruesome death, though Asuka was pretty sure she didn't actually feel that way about anyone… at least, not _yet_. She was cool, though. She wished she could control her emotions like her mother could. Then, maybe, she wouldn't be reminded of how she was so easy to read.

Asuka sighed and closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep, even if she'd receive a scolding if she was caught.

"We must act quickly. Has your daughter mastered Kazama-Style yet?" said one of the guests, judging by the sound of his voice. They must have reached the living room if their conversation had begun.

"She's well on her way," she heard Master Kazama remark. "I'm sure she'll surpass me any day now."

"Indeed," said another, curtly. She hated how it was so easy to eavesdrop. She tried her best to ignore the conversation, but their words echoed off the thin walls of the house.

"However, we have no time to wait. She'll simply have to continue under our tutelage."

"What do you mean?" Mrs Kazama asked, suspicion lacing her words.

Asuka got off the floor and swiftly moved toward the other sliding doors of the dojo, hoping to escape into the backyard and from this conversation. She pulled them open with enough force to rip the fabric, stomped out and slammed them shut behind her. The sound of their words dissipated, replaced instead by the songs of the birds. Since it was the middle of spring, the air was warm and the vegetation was beginning to flourish. She walked up to the lone maple tree, running her hands down the tree's wide trunk.

She was told that this tree was planted for her mother the day she was married into the family. Master Kazama would often say that the tree and Mrs Kazama were similar in many ways, apart from their similar name. The way they stubbornly survived through the years, how they never made too much of an effort to reach for the stars, how they kept changing with the seasons yet only managed to become more beautiful every time.

"I can only hope your mother stays beautiful in old age like the tree," he joked, earning a slap on the back from Mrs Kazama, who insisted that he should be worrying about himself instead, and a laugh from Asuka. Ah, those were fun times. Then, ever since she turned seven, Master Kazama began training her vigorously in Kazama-Style traditional martial arts, seeing as she was supposed to be able to duel with the best of them before she turned fourteen. All she knew was that it was because the geezers told Master Kazama to do it, but why… she didn't know.

Even though it was somewhat of a requirement for the entire family, save for those who married in, to learn the ancient art, she was certain that she was the only one given a 'time limit', if the few relatives she had been in contact with were to be believed. It was weird… and no one was willing to answer her questions of "Why me?" for so long, insisting that she had no business knowing and shouldn't concern herself, that she stopped caring out of spite. Hell, she wouldn't even listen to whatever they were willing to tell her now. At this point, she'd just do whatever they'd tell her to do and stop questioning it all… much less of a headache that way… Besides, she enjoyed the fighting and wouldn't trade it for any other style in the world (though it could use a little tweaking), so it was a win-win.

But from what she had heard in the dojo, she'd probably be seeing those farts more often now. It was too much to hope that Master Kazama would say no, because he followed their commands to the letter, and Mrs Kazama never really had a say in the matter. So they'll either come here every day or–

Take her away.

"No way…" she said aloud, abandoning the tree and making her way to the koi pond, only to be smacked in the face by the tyre swing. She glared at the once treasured part of her childhood for getting in her way. Irrationally, she balled up her fists and struck the circular piece of rubber, her anger vanishing for a brief moment, only to return in full swing along with the tyre. She stumbled back from the impact, landing on the ground and clutching her nose. She heard a soft thud… the tyre's rope must have snapped… well good bloody riddance… speaking of bloody…

Once the pain went away, she wiped her nose and looked at her palm. The fact that it was clean meant that her nose wasn't broken. Now that she thought about it, maybe punching the fully mobile swing wasn't the best of ideas. Looking up, she saw the tyre lying at the base of the tree, the rope hanging limply from the branch. Getting up, she walked over to it and kicked it, tentatively. Fortunately, it didn't move this time but she kept kicking it, increasing the force every time, until she was fundamentally slaughtering it, unleashing all of her anger on it. Her anger from being so stupid, being so submissive, so silent…

"Asuka?"

Asuka froze in her place, meeting eyes with Mrs Kazama, who stood in the doorway separating the backyard from the dojo, a look of concern plastered on her face. She must have wanted to check on her.

"Um… the swing broke," Asuka muttered, pathetically.

"Your nose is filthy," Mrs Kazama began as she stepped down onto the grass and made her way to her daughter. "It didn't hit you did it? I know you're a tough girl and all but that's a **heavy** tyre."

She wiped at her nose with the sleeve of her kimono, holding Asuka's face with the other hand. It still stung but she didn't protest. Her mother being here touched her, but it also reminded her of why she left the house in the first place.

"There," Mrs Kazama said, adding a kiss for good measure. Normally, Asuka would recoil in mock disgust, but she didn't feel up to keeping up the joke at the moment. That was probably what tipped off her mother because she followed up with a "Is something wrong?"

Asuka didn't know if she wanted to come clean, seeing as there was high chance of her questions being ignored like they always were.

"…You didn't hear anything, did you?"

Ah, she was too good.

"A little of the beginning, but I left quickly," Asuka admitted, seeing no point in concealing it. "They said something about teaching me. What, will they be coming over every day now? Or am I moving out?"

"Don't say that!" Mrs Kazama said, sternly, effectively shutting up her daughter. "I mean… you don't have to worry about that."

Of course, she didn't have to worry about that. She was too young or stupid or whatever other conditions she didn't meet.

"You won't have to worry about it all because you're definitely staying in this house."

Asuka viewed at her mother in awe, who stared back at her with a look of resolve.

"Don't think we'll ever let you leave this house until you're old enough to start earning proper money. Even if you insist on running off with some boy, you're still staying with us."

"_Mom_, that's gross!" Asuka exclaimed, considering the mood killed.

"Sweetheart, you have no idea how important it is to tell your kids this before they go off and make mistakes! One day you'll be thanking me!"

"_Sure_, mom. Whatever you say…"

"And about that tyre, I'm assuming you were practicing?"

"Uh… yeah! Definitely," Asuka laughed, nervously. Mrs Kazama raised an eyebrow in suspicion, before turning to the grounded tyre.

"I'll take this as proof that you're doing well in old man karate. But I think you should use your imagination next time. Less collateral damage that way."

"Uh, will do!" Asuka said, adding a salute. Her mother smiled, shivering a little.

"You know, it may be the middle of spring, but I can't help but feel a little –"

* * *

"C-cold. So cold. So very, very c-cold." Asuka muttered to herself, hugging her torso for warmth. Clearly, her trademark blue jumpsuit wasn't the best attire for the situation.

"W-wuss… You c-call yourself a fighter?" said Hwoarang, quivering beside her in his biker outfit.

"Like y-you're any better," Asuka hissed at him through her teeth. "But, seriously. I get that it's warm outside but that doesn't mean you turn the place into the effin' Arctic!"

"Don't you just _wish_ you had some more insulation?" Leo teased, leaning forward so that they could a get a good look at her jacket.

"Screw you," Asuka and Hwoarang spat, simultaneously.

"**Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first ever 'King of Tekken Tag Tournament'!**" the announcer's voice boomed throughout the arena, followed closely by the roar of the audience. This promptly brought the three's attention back to the situation at hand. The three of them were currently standing in the walkway that connected the locker rooms to the main arena, preferring to watch the match from a less conspicuous area… that and they really had no hope of finding a seat in the audience. Squinting, Asuka looked up and noticed the announcers looking down from one of the many balconies bordering the walls. A light show began when one of them spoke "**Twenty-two teams have been assembled, but only one of them will come out on top and receive the title of the 'Kings of Tekken'!**"

The applause was deafening and Asuka resisted the urge to cover her ears.

"**But first, a word from our sponsor, Mr Heihachi Mishima, the current head of the Mishima Zaibatsu!**"

The three of them felt no need to listen to what Heihachi had to say, so they had their own conversation while observing the old man walk to the middle of the stage, closely followed by two bodyguards dressed in matching black tuxedos.

"I'm s-surprised that son of a b-bitch is still alive," Hwoarang remarked, leaning against the wall.

"That's right," Leo said in comprehension. "You've been participating since the third tournament."

"Yeah, and I've learned that all the Mishimas are no g-good," he said, venomously.

"W-what, did they do something to you or…?" Asuka trailed off but Hwoarang replied, quickly. "It's common knowledge among t-the veterans. We've all seen their f-fucked up encounters. We try to k-keep out of their way whenever possible. Well… most of us try, anyway."

"I'm guessing one of the exceptions is Xiaoyu?" Leo asked, resting one hand on her hip.

"I _keep_ telling her there's no p-point but she's so hung up on–"

He stopped himself, grimacing, before continuing.

"And then, _t-this_ one joined to kick Jin's ass last time," he gestured to Asuka, who laughed. "One of my old pals, Eddy, has a score t-to settle with Kazuya Mishima. And Miguel hates Jin's guts. I dunno w-why, though."

Asuka stopped laughing and her hopes fell immediately. Guess she'd have to find out the hard way… that is, if she'd even get the chance to.

Everyone and their mother now knew who her partner was and, as she expected, the journalists were hot on her trail for what were the longest four days of her life. Hell, they had even taken to camping outside her motel. It was good that, at the time, there were only four days left before the tournament began and she could lodge in the arena's rooms, otherwise they would've kicked her to the street with nowhere for her to go. Anyway, the whole world was going on about her being the partner of the 'Destroyer of Worlds' or whatever the hell they were calling him these days and she was sure _he_ knew as well. She remembered how much hate was in his voice when he talked about Jin, and it scared her, yet intrigued her. She wanted to know more but she was sure he wouldn't take this news well. God knows what he must be thinking…

"And those are only the ones _I_ know about," Hwoarang said. Asuka looked at Leo, who was just nodding silently at the Korean's words. She was sure that Leo wouldn't share her own motives for joining the tournament with him.

"**Heihachi Mishima, everyone!**" the announcer said to more applause. Asuka looked back to the stage just in time to see Heihachi walking away with his guards.

"Anyway, here's some s-sage advice for you two," Hwoarang said, staring at the stage, and Asuka ignored whatever else the announcer had to say. "Stay the fuck away from Heihachi and Kazuya Mishima. And I'm gonna go g-get my jacket. It's too damn cold."

Hwoarang then left, unceremoniously, for the locker rooms.

"That's not bad advice…" Leo mumbled once she was sure Hwoarang was out of ear-shot. "But, I don't think I'll be able to follow."

Her gaze immediately shifted to the set of doors that Heihachi left through on the opposite side of their position.

"Asuka, I think I'll take my leave too."

"The hell–"

Leo, however, ran off before she could finish. Asuka stared after her, but the blonde didn't even look back. This worried her to no end. She was going to run after her but at that point the light show began again and mist erupted from the stage, effectively hiding Leo from sight, and the announcer declared "**Get ready for the next battle!**"

All the screens in the building, particularly (what she'd like to dub) the 'TV Chandelier' that hung directly over the stage, began to display the participants of the next fight. Nina and Anna Williams versus Raven and… Kunimitsu? Who the hell was that? Judging by the picture, it was another ninja... wait… her mask had no eye holes! How the hell could she even see? She then witnessed the two performing a series of back-flips to reach the stage while the Williams sisters were already waiting for them. Impressive though it was, watching the four of them face off created a sinking feeling in her stomach. The tournament had begun… and he had yet to show up.

"What did I miss?" Hwoarang asked out of nowhere, causing Asuka to jump from surprise. She turned her face to get a look at him, observing the dark green letterman jacket he was now wearing.

"I d-dunno why I was expecting leather."

"Shut up."

"**Round One… Fight!**"

The two of them glanced at the stage in time to see Anna speaking to Nina while offering her sister her hand. Nina hesitated before taking it, only for Anna to turn the tables and push Nina forward as Kunimitsu ran to meet her.

"That was a dick m-move," Asuka commented with disdain.

"Still pretty tame compared to all those other times," Hwoarang remarked, nonchalantly.

"There were gonna be t-two more after this one right?" Asuka inquired.

"You weren't paying attention were you?" Hwoarang gave her an incredulous look. "Well you should have. After this match, it's you and Jin against that Ex-Tekken Force and his robot sidekick. After that, there'll be one more match before it ends for the night."

Her stomach dropped and she felt even icier.

"I'm g-going outside," Asuka declared, abruptly. "It's too c-cold here."

"You know, we could always cuddle," he jested, raising his arm in invitation and succeeding in temporarily lifting her mood. Asuka, smirking, replied "Eat your heart out."

* * *

The amount of people that had accumulated outside the arena was outstanding, to say the least, but it was relatively easy to navigate through the crowd without bringing any attention to himself, as they were too focussed on the events taking place on the big screen. He would also look up from time to time, observing Nina's progress in the fight. It was a shame that she had to be paired with her sister. So far, from what he could tell, Raven and his unknown partner were getting the upper hand, so this match would end soon.

He eventually made it to the entrance, only to be greeted by the sight of the Kazama girl, of all people, sitting on the ground, a look of despair on her face as she stared at the ground. A feeling of guilt resurfaced at this scene as he recalled their last encounter, but he didn't have time to deal with her. He quietly made his way to the doors but when he was about to pass her, he felt the same sensation he felt that day when he thought he saw…

He spun on his spot, searching through the crowd for what he hoped would be a familiar face, but the sheer amount of people made this task incredibly difficult. He must have made a sound while doing this because the next second he heard a loud and angry "**YOU**!"

He turned around just soon enough to see the girl attempting to throw a punch at him but, unlike last time, he was able to grab her wrist before the blow could land. This infuriated her further and she wrenched her arm from his grasp.

"You son of a bitch! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to show your ass up?!"

And all his feelings of guilt vanished the minute she opened her mouth. Thankfully, her shouts were drowned out the sounds of the masses, but it seemed that he would have to deal with her after all.

"I don't have time for this. I have somewhere to be," he said, calmly yet venomously, hoping she'd take the hint and back off. She wasn't intimidated by him one bit, though, and blocked his path when he tried to side-step her.

"Yeah, well, _too_ effing _bad_!" she hissed, glaring at him with her hands curled into fists. "I have to win this tournament, and I have to fight with you to do it, so it's time you shut the hell up and listen to me!"

Before he could express his surprise at this new revelation, the crowd's noise level suddenly spiked, one of them shouting "They lost?! Bullshit!"

"The next match is you and me," the girl said, more to herself than to him, her anger replaced by panic. He took this moment to pass by her, but she recovered quickly and clutched at his sleeve.

"Where are _you_ going?!" she asked.

"To fight," he affirmed, trying to free his sleeve from her grasp. "And I'll do it without your help."

She gave him an affronted look.

"I always knew you'd be a cocky bastard but, apparently, you also don't have any common sense!" she stated in amazement. "Listen, prick–"

He yanked his arm away from her, having heard enough, and walked through the doors, the conditioned air blasting at him from all directions. He was surrounded by noise and lights and he felt a sense of foreboding, knowing he'd be revealing himself to the world and targeted by Heihachi and Kazuya once he got on that stage. And to think, he could have avoided all of this if it weren't for the slight possibility that–

"Wait up, why don't you?!" said the girl, jogging to his side. She would have gone on but at that point the announcer bellowed "**Raven and Kunimitsu win! And what an exciting match it was! But don't worry, the next match will be even more so! Get ready for the next battle!**"

The screens displayed the next set of fighters. Lars Alexandersson and Alisa Bosconovitch versus Jin Kazama and Asuka Kazama. Of course, it had to be those two…

"So, do you have a game plan or what?" she asked, ire and worry in her tone. He gave her no reply and started walking toward the stage while taking off his parka.

"Don't tell me you're serious about doing it alone?!"

He remained silent, focusing on the task ahead. He'd fought every battle in his life alone. He had always done it that way, and he wasn't going to stop now.

* * *

**Bonus Scene**

"Lars! Alisa! Why am I not surprised?" Lee called, regally, as he approached the two.

"Good to see you too, Lee," Lars smiled, while Alisa waved enthusiastically.

"Of course the two of you would enter together," Lee remarked. "The unbeatable duo that you are!"

"Well, I wasn't planning to drag her straight back into this just as she'd woken up," Lars began, slightly sombre. Alisa responded to this with furrowed eye-brows.

"Lars, it would have been irrational to have gone through with this operation without any assistance. And I have already expressed my inclination to support you."

"I know, I know," Lars acknowledged, a slight smile on his face as he met eyes with Alisa. "But once this is over, we're taking a real vacation."

"Excellent!" Lee exclaimed. "We can visit one of my private islands!"

"Lee, you already did your part with Alisa," Lars said. "You don't owe us any more."

"Nonsense! This is a matter of brotherhood! Lars, I insist that you visit."

Lars let out a light laugh and Alisa smiled.

"Alright, we'll see… By the way Lee, what the situation with your partner?"

"Ah, I was waiting for you to ask," Lee proclaimed, flamboyantly. "Introducing, the pride of Violet Systems, the Super Combot DX!"

As if on cue, a robot suddenly appeared at Lee's side, striking a pose.

"What do you two think?"

Lars was speechless while Alisa began to analyse the newcomer.

"The circuitry is quite exceptional," Alisa indicated, fascinated.

"Well… let's just say I took a leaf out of your father's book," Lee said, careful not to allude to Alisa 'machine-like' anatomy. "And what about you, Lars?"

"Uh… wow. Just… um…"

"You think it's funny I decided to build my own partner."

"And a little sad, to be honest."

* * *

_**This chapter was such a pain; it had to be re-written at least **__three__** times before I was satisfied. Anyway, this marks the start of the tournament, with the occasional bonus scenes to let you know what is going on with the other characters. In case anyone was curious about the tag teams:-**_

_**(Alisa &amp; Lars), (Anna &amp; Nina), (Armour King &amp; Jaycee), (Baek &amp; Hwoarang), (Bob &amp; Ganryu), (Bruce &amp; Lei), (Bryan &amp; Yoshimitsu), (Christie &amp; Eddy), (Marduk &amp; King), (Feng &amp; Wang), (Forest &amp; Law), (Heihachi &amp; Kazuya), (Jack-6 &amp; Dragunov), (Kunimitsu &amp; Raven), (Lee &amp; Combot), (Leo &amp; Zafina), (Lili &amp; Sebastian), (Xiaoyu &amp; Panda), (Miguel &amp; Steve), (Paul &amp; Kuma).**_

_**Yeah, I'm excluding a few and bringing more in but whatever. Not like **__all__** of them will contribute greatly to the story. I may just write a side story for some of the others if I can come up with a story that'll last for more than just one chapter. I'll tell you right away that I have plans for Leo, Christie and Eddy, Lars and Alisa and maybe Jaycee. Anyway, let any errors be known and until the next chapter.**_

_**May peace be upon you.**_


	7. Showdowns And Then Some

**Chapter 7**

**Showdowns... And Then Some  
**

"Aaaaand welcome back to the King of Tekken Official coverage! I'm Andy Cooke with newbie, Jerry Thompson, and we'll be your hosts for the duration of this tournament! How's it like up on the top, Jerry?"

"It's amazing, Andy! Never did I think I'd ever be commentating on one of the most anticipated events of our modern day!"

"Yet here you are Jerry, believe it or not, and you are not wrong. We've all been waiting for this day to come, following all the updates and interviews. Now that it's finally arrived, I won't waste any more of your time. Heihachi Mishima, the tournament's sponsor, has already had a word with the audience and the fighters and the first match of the tournament is about to begin! And our first match-up is Nina Williams and Anna Williams versus Raven and Kunimitsu! And if my memory serves me right, this is Kunimitsu's first appearance since the second Tekken tournament! Quite a long time to be away."

"Nevertheless, this is quite the tricky match up! Two ninjas versus two assassins!"

"Wow. Hearing that aloud makes this sound like some sort of cheesy action flick… or a video game–"

"_Except _this won't be lame at all! The Williams sisters are seasoned competitors, specialising in Aikido and various assassination arts, while Raven and Kunimitsu have only partaken in two tournaments each but show a great deal of promise with their use of ninjutsu. Really, this could be anyone's match!"

"Well, we won't have to debate on it any further as it seems that both teams have arrived at the scene! We'll switch to the live feed immediately!"

"Whoa! Are you seeing this Andy?!"

"Yes, a series of back flips to reach the stage. That's one way to intimidate your opponent."

"The Williams' seem unimpressed though. Wait, Anna seems to be calling a truce!"

"Now _that_ is one thing I never thought I'd live to see."

"Ah! She turned things around at the last second!"

"Not surprised at all. Nina and Kunimitsu are now heading off!"

"Wow! The two of them are doing a good job keeping up with each other!"

"Nina's attempts to grab Kunimitsu are falling short though. Wise of her, considering that Nina's holds are a death sentence once you're caught in them."

"Ah! That was a low blow! _Literally_! Kunimitsu's got the advantage now!"

"This fight turned real ugly real quick. Nina's really struggling now."

"Well, there's your proof that Kunimitsu wasn't slacking off all those years! And Nina tags in Anna… who trips her on the way in…"

"I'm pretty sure Nina's going to retaliate with something worse sooner or later. I'd be pretty disappointed if she didn't."

"The fans are really enjoying their little spats though!"

"It's not every day you see siblings actively trying to kill each other outside of a movie… or a video game–"

"_And_ Raven intercepts Anna's attack, tagging himself in at the same time! Well executed, if you ask me!"

"Quite the even match up so far… Wonder how long they'll be able to keep up with each other…"

* * *

"Ah, almost had it," Hwoarang quipped, observing Anna's stiletto missing its mark by an inch. "…Should probably invest in longer heels next time."

He then chuckled at his own remark, which quickly turned into a choke as something pressed all of its weight on him, particularly around his neck. Since Hwoarang was too occupied with trying to wrestle off whatever had him in a death grip, as well keep his balance, he missed the loud "Hwoarang! Long time, no see!"

Eventually, Hwoarang managed to wrench his would-be assailant off of him and recognised black pigtails held up by glowing bands.

"Xiaoyu?!" he gasped, more from his attempts to gulp down as much as air as he could than from surprise. She bounced on the spot in excitement, spraying out sentences in a manner similar to a machine-gun.

"I had a hunch you'd be here! Call it intuition, or the fact that I read the bulletin board with all the tag teams on them before, but _whatever!_ It's so great we all have a chance to meet here again! Honestly, I wasn't expecting anything like _this_ but, at the same time, I was _hoping_ for something like this, you know? Like, school's _really_ boring these days and Panda hasn't gotten any proper exercise in _so_ long! I dragged Miharu here too since she's _always_ going on about how she could never be there with me and she always had to watch everything on TV! She's sitting somewhere up there! I told her she could've fought with me – by the way, I've been teaching her a few moves – but she was all like '_Nah, I'm not that good yet'_ but ANYWAY it's _so_ great to be back again and–"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down," Hwoarang interrupted, grabbing her shoulders to stop her physically as well as verbally. Xiaoyu, slightly distraught at his reaction, quieted down and pouted a bit.

"Good to see you," he said, lifting her spirits in the process. Releasing her shoulders, he took a few steps back and returned Xiaoyu's brilliant smile with his own, toned-down version. It was weird how happy she was to meet him, considering their last encounter was terrible from start to finish. Perhaps this was her way of making up?

"Great to see you too! I was so surprised when I saw almost every person's name from the last tournament! I didn't think any of them would come for a tag tournament!" she extended her arms to indicate the arena as a whole. Hwoarang responded with "I'm sure everyone here has their own motivations."

Still, he _had_ to address the issue on the back – okay, **front** of his mind. The words were out before he could stop them.

"On another note, I'm surprised that you're happy to see me, considering your attitude towards me last time we met."

"What? Wasn't I happy last time too?" Xiaoyu said, putting a finger on her lip in thought.

Odd.

"Well… no, actually. Don't you remember?" he added, rubbing his head, after her bewildered expression didn't change. Picking up after him, she said "Well, it doesn't matter anyway! As Grandpa Wang would say, '_The past is in the_ _past'_ or something to that effect! So how have you been doing these days? I didn't let you speak yet, did I? I really wanna-"

"Xiaoyu," said Hwoarang sternly, comprehending her true intent.

"What?"

"You're not fooling me. Not at all."

Perhaps realising he wasn't kidding around, she adopted the look of a child in fear of a scolding, making him feel ten years older. She **was** a child and that really brought out the awkward in him, as opposed to the bad-ass image he'd been building up for the longest time. Annoying as hell.

"What gave it away?" she asked, disappointed.

"That you couldn't remember something from six months ago when you can remember shit from three years ago," Hwoarang said, bluntly. "But never mind that. You showed up to this tournament because you heard Jin was here, didn't you? And you cozied up to me because you thought I knew something, right?"

He knew he hit the jackpot when she smiled in a nervous way and traced lines on the floor with her foot. When he let out a sigh, she brought up an offended front.

"Don't act like that! Hwoarang, we went to school together! We were school mates and no one even knew if he was _alive_ all this time! And now I know he's breathing and walking and you expect me not be relieved?" she exclaimed, hands on her hips and leaning forward. Hwoarang groaned, reminded of their last get-together as this conversation was heading into similar territory.

"Look, Xiaoyu, I get that you care for Jin but he's not the same Jin you went to school with," he repeated from last time, which only aggravated her.

"I thought you'd be the only one who'd get what I've been going through! You consider Jin a friend too, don't you?" she chided. The latter statement caused him to once again reiterate more sentences that he grew too tired of.

"Okay, first of all, you clearly consider him as something other than a friend. Everyone can see that, and **second**-" his voice rose as Xiaoyu began sputtering a response. "- Jin Kazama is **not** my friend. I don't know how you got that idea when you _know_ I gathered a resistance to bring him down when he was busy being a dictator, emphasis on the dick."

Xiaoyu let out a gasp, scandalised and pissed off at the same time. She immediately responded with "Jin isn't a bad person! I'm sure he has a good reason for doing all of those awful things! _You_ should know that by now!"

He should've known by now that there was no winning an argument with Xiaoyu without hurting her feelings, that loyalty this strong and stupid couldn't be chipped, let alone broken. And he should've known that love was blind, but not blind enough. Yet, this all just added to anger that was already fuelled by her stubbornness to accept the truth and protect herself from grief and his feelings of camaraderie for the man in question. Recollections from the fifth tournament flitted through his mind, with Jin's words of "_I have family problems to deal with"_ being one of the more prominent memories.

_Family problems, my ass!_

This led to an outburst, concentrated on one target.

"No, _you_ should know by now! He was never that 'nice boy' that you thought he was! He's as fucked up in the head as the rest of the Mishimas! All he needed was power and once he got it, he showed his true colours for the whole world to see! We all were dumb-asses for thinking otherwise, but you're the bigger dumb-ass for **still** believing otherwise! Wake up, Xiaoyu!"

Xiaoyu furrowed her brows and the corners of her lips dropped into a scowl, when he expected her to tear up or run away. She certainly didn't look like a child now, which helped him kick out the last of the awkwardness that had possessed him and helped him reinforce his tough persona in preparation for the oncoming tirade. Yet, she caught him off guard again when the next words to leave her mouth came out in a low, threatening voice "You don't know anything about Jin."

The next second, her eyes softened a bit, revealing regret in her eyes as she added one more sentence.

"Sorry for assuming otherwise."

All feelings of rage were extinguished within him, only for regret and despair to blossom from the remaining ashes.

He'd done it now.

He was at fault.

Why did he have to dig up the hatchet? Why did he say all that when she ready to forgive him and move past everything?

Why couldn't he just admit his shame at still seeing a friend in Jin Kazama to the one person in the whole world who wouldn't have shunned him because of it?

And when she turned on her heel to get away from him, he found himself at a loss.

_What to do? What to say? _

When he did decide to attempt to stop her, the crowd's noise level spiked, sounds of surprise and outrage filling the arena to the brim. Both of them searched for the source of this disturbance, only for them to exclaim once they caught sight of an all-too-familiar spiky hairdo barging into the scene as every light in the arena seemed to focus on him.

"Jin!"

"Kazama…"

* * *

"Aaaaaaand it's a K.O.! Raven and Kunimitsu have won the match! Perhaps if the two sisters weren't so adamant on injuring each other, it would've turned out differently. Quite the sweat-fest though, wasn't it Jerry?"

"I was sweating through my shirt! It was _that_ intense!"

"Hopefully, you have a change of clothes ready cause we still have two more matches to go for this night."

"Perhaps we'll be able to get an interview from the winning– Andy, look down there! Is that who I think it is!?"

"That looks like no one else but Jin Kazama to me Jerry, so if you thought it was someone else I can't help you. It seems he finally decided to show up after many months of being 'MIA'…"

"I didn't think he was alive! I mean, I knew his name was in the tournament but he didn't show up for interviews or anything…"

"Shame your suspicions didn't prove true. As it turns out, the next match was him and Asuka Kazama versus Lars Alexandersson and Alisa Bosconovitch."

"You must have discussed this before but… how do you suppose the two Kazamas are related?"

"Obviously by blood, Jerry. But anyway, Jin Kazama has won and hosted a tournament, the latter being where he was 'allegedly' beaten by Lars Alexandersson. Both Lars and Alisa have a commendable amount of wins under their belts as well, so Asuka is really the odd one out here."

"Don't count her out yet, Andy! She's quite talented in her own right!"

"Speak of the devil! The remaining fighters have arrived. And it seems there's conflict among the Kazamas. Then again, Asuka never was a friendly one so it's probably nothing–"

"Hey now! That's uncalled for–"

"_And_ they've finally reached the stage, with the crowd going wild."

"It doesn't sound like the nice kind of cheering though…"

"You can only expect as much. But, there's no time for that as the round has started and Jin and Lars begin it with… a conversation."

* * *

"Jin," Lars said, arms folded as Jin walked up to his position on the opposite side of the stage. Alisa stood beside Lars but uttered not a single word, silently observing the confrontation to come. Jin acknowledged the two of them with a tilt of the head before raising his fists with a "Come on."

Lars opened his mouth to say more but, at that point, Asuka had screeched to a halt beside Jin and shot him a glare, which he either didn't notice or chose to ignore. Her entry made him reconsider attempting to start an interrogation here so Lars eased into his fighting stance, thunder crackling around his limbs as he said "After the battle then."

He glanced at Alisa and said "I'm counting on you."

* * *

"_Oooooooooh_! And _that_ ends this curb-stomp of a battle! Seriously, that was just painful to watch."

"I didn't think the Kazama's would go down so quickly…"

"It's pretty obvious why though."

"Huh?"

"Teamwork, my dear Thompson. The dream team had it in spades. Our ex-dictator and his hot-headed relative didn't."

"Huh… I didn't think that would be such a necessary component. I thought you just had to be a really good fighter and you'd do well on your own."

"Not when you're facing two at a time. But, that's behind us now."

"Perhaps we could get some comments from the winning te- _or_ not…"

"Wow, no-one's in a good mood today."

"Well, in the last battle we saw two women who hate each other with a passion against two individuals who are generally not fond of chatter. Then this match included two men who may or may not have some bad blood between them. It's no wonder."

"Good analysis that no-one asked for, rookie. I'm sure we'll get some good words from the next fight, as it's composed entirely of wrestling drama and, as you know, pro-wrestlers _always_ have something to say. Up next are the current champions, King and Craig Marduk, versus the wrestling veteran Armour King and, the new kid on the scene, Jaycee!"

"She's the only new fighter in this tournament, so it's a wonder why a legend like Armour King would take her under his wing."

"Perhaps he really is as much of a white knight as rumours say. But then, considering the No-Armour King owns an orphanage back in Mexico, one can assume good nature runs in the… the…"

"Title?"

"Yeah, that works. Good job Jerry! Back on topic though. It's true, she has participated in a fair share of tournaments, both informal and formal, and has amassed quite the fan-base. But in terms of the Tekken tournaments, she'd an absolute, in every sense of the word, newbie. Just like you Jerry! You're kindred spirits!"

"Oh, har di har."

"And here come the teams. The smack talk should be coming any second now… or they could just face off immediately."

"Marduk and Armour King are nose to nose while King… seems genuinely unimpressed by Jaycee."

"Oh, snap! He shouldn't have– I can't keep up with this! Jerry, are you _seeing_ this?"

"I see it but I can't believe– _Oooh_! That's gonna leave a mark!"

"Jaycee and Armour King have managed to rise up and win the first round without a hitch!"

"Man, even that high five was epic."

"On to round two, as Marduk and King are eager to return to the match; most probably in an attempt to save face."

* * *

"Jin."

Nina's voice overcame the din of the match broadcasts coming from a little TV in the corner of the room. Jin leaned against the wall of the locker-room, crossing his arms while meeting her gaze.

"I thought you were dead," she said with a hint of severity, waiting for him to explain himself as she folded her arms and cocked her hip to the side. Jin let out a long sigh.

"The plan failed."

"Of course it failed. If it didn't fail, you'd be six feet under right now," Nina said, without missing a beat. "What I want to know is what you're doing here."

"I'd like to know that too."

Nina looked in the direction of the new voice, greeted by the image of Lars and Jin's robot girl. Nina dropped her arms to her sides and shot him a glare, hoping he'd take the hint and leave, but stubbornness was a habit that died hard. A lesson she knew too well.

"Azazel survived?" Lars cut to the chase, turning to Jin for answers. Jin grimaced.

"Perhaps you could tell us why you're here first?" Nina shot at Lars.

"I'm here to settle a score with Heihachi," Lars replied. Nina quickly responded with "What is _she_ doing here, then?" gesturing to the pink-haired robot that was half-hiding behind Lars' cape.

"Helping me."

Those two words induced a laugh from Nina.

"I see… here I thought it had some free will but I should've known bots don't work that way."

Hearing this, the robot buried its face into Lars' back, noticeably upset.

_Is it even possible for an AI to imitate human emotions?_

She certainly didn't think so.

"Alisa is **not** an object," Lars said, austerely. Touching her own upturned lips, Nina smirked "Whatever helps you sleep at night. Though, if it really was sentient, it would know better than to follow _you_ around like a dog. Then again, it probably has nowhere else to go and you're its best option right now."

"You better watch–"

"Enough," Jin spoke, effectively silencing the room and stopping Lars' advancing steps.

"Oops," Nina said in a dry attempt to save face. Lars scoffed before stepping back to his original position.

"Azazel is dead. Raven and his men currently have his corpse. As for why I'm here, I highly doubt it'll affect you in any way this time."

"Oh, I can't be sure of that yet," Lars responded, crossing his arms and glaring at Jin, "Considering that the last time I took your word for it, things didn't go the way you said."

Nina deduced he was talking about when they brawled before Azazel broke out from the temple.

"I wasn't anticipating my survival," Jin insisted. "And I wasn't lying to you either. I can only assume that the Devil Gene…" he made a wounded expression at the sentence, "…kept me alive. And if I still have it, so does Kazuya."

"So that's who you got it from," Lars muttered, more so to himself than to Jin. He nodded in acknowledgement anyway before continuing.

"I'm not here for the Zaibatsu, nor am I here for Kazuya or Heihachi, so my presence shouldn't concern you. That's the only information you're going to obtain, so you should be on your way…"

Once he finished, Lars began to consider what he had just said as the android peered around Lars' cape at Jin. It looked like it had something to say, yet stayed as silent as the room at large. Having not moved at all from the wall, Jin eventually spoke up again.

"…or you could tell me how the Zaibatsu ended up in Heihachi's hands when it was supposed to be yours. After all, you did win the tournament… by default."

Hearing this, Nina simpered in faint amusement when she wanted to laugh openly and sincerely. But, after realising the room's atmosphere was less than humorous, she felt that it was probably better this way.

"I was with Yggdrasil, cleaning up the mess the war, _your_ war, left in its wake. I thought I'd get more done that way than if I were to become a CEO. Your bodyguard here was the one who took over the Zaibatsu after your 'death'."

Lars gestured to Nina at this sentence. Jin raised an eyebrow Nina's way, to which she shrugged and said "My bad."

Lars rolled his eyes at her words.

"Anyway, I wanted to drag the old man out, but he's currently being revered as a 'saviour' of sorts. Everyone thinks he took you down and put an end to your oppression, seeing as he suddenly appeared as the new CEO while you had disappeared off the planet, and he hasn't exactly tried to prove otherwise. So I can't just roll an army over there and bring him down without gauging a public outcry."

"Since when did you care about the public opinion? They thought Kazuya a 'hero', yet you saw his true colours and tried to bring him down. What's so different now?" Jin asked. Lars gave him an incredulous look, as if the answer was obvious, before elaborating.

"That's because at the time Kazuya was doing his fair share of lawless activities. Heihachi, for some reason, has yet to do something criminal. Alisa even went through the Zaibatsu's databases but there weren't any records describing or relating to anything questionable."

Jin smirked grimly as he remarked "I see he's decided to play innocent as always…"

"There's no question of it being an act. He knows it's wiser to live up to this image. Regardless, I can't assault him without some solid evidence against him. I want him dead… but the people's needs come before my wants and he hasn't done them wrong in any way yet, so I left him alone."

And then, his disposition changed as he tightly clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes at the ground. That angry gaze eventually landed on Jin's apathetic one and, in a hoarse, ominous voice, he said "But, now, he won't escape justice. I'll **definitely** find a way to bring him down."

Nina could practically feel the bloodlust he was radiating. The sheer magnitude of it reminded her of how Jin and Kazuya held that very same aura toward Heihachi and vice versa.

_Well, well, well… looks like Mr Saint wasn't such a noble soul after all. Even _he_ couldn't overcome the Mishima curse. _

And, once again, quiet settled itself among them. The machine shifted its attention from Jin to Lars, worry (or what looked similar to worry) painting its features as it reached for one of Lars' hands, only to withdraw at the last second. Perhaps sensing its movement, Lars' posture loosened considerably and he sighed grandly, as if releasing all of his stress into the air around them.

"Alright," he breathed after what seemed like a lengthy interval. "I'll make the decision to trust you. But, just so you know, I'm not the only one with their eyes on you. Everyone who wanted you dead before will be keeping tabs on you, so if something escapes _my_ notice, it'll definitely catch someone else's."

_So what he means is 'You can't get away with anything this time'._

Nina thought he'd leave after that but instead he looked the robot's way, as if expecting something from it. Its eyes darted briefly to its shoes before looking up and meeting eyes with Jin.

"Mast–"

It stopped itself before finishing that word but everyone knew what it meant.

"Um… Jin Kazama…"

It bowed, formally, to Jin and uttered a faint "Thank you" as it bolted back into a standing position. Puzzled, Nina shifted her gaze to Jin, wanting to see his reaction, and was irked when she saw surprise grace his features. Lars gave it a reassuring grin, which was returned, and it disappeared from the room. Lars adopted a serious face and made to follow after the android but, as he turned around, he added "You'd better be telling the truth this time."

And with that, he exited the scene.

"Why did it thank you?" Nina asked, relishing her new-found freedom of speech.

"… For when I freed her," Jin recounted, staring at the door Lars left through.

_Huh… he was referring to it as a she… okay then…_

"When I was to defeat Azazel and perish alongside him, she was supposed to be free from my servitude. But she couldn't follow through with the new command because it conflicted with the previous one, 'Protecting Jin Kazama'. As such, it led to her system shutting down. Though, clearly, she was restored…" Jin revealed. He then added, as an afterthought "Good to know."

"Why do you care?" Nina wondered aloud, feeling atypically peeved. "You called it a worthless piece of junk when it shut down."

"That…" Jin struggled to come up with words, only to clutch his face and sigh in surrender. But he didn't need to say anything.

"You regret it?"

Then, as if realising the weakness he was showing, he straightened up and removed all signs of vulnerability. He wasn't comfortable with her, huh? This revelation was followed by a dull ache in her throat. Deciding not to insist on an answer to that question, Nina retreated to her previous inquiry. "So, why are you here?"

"I'm looking for someone," he replied, like he didn't think twice about speaking, which reassured Nina a little. "Well, that's my first priority anyway, though I'm not too sure if they're even here."

Nina bit down on her tongue to stop it from offering to help in Jin's endeavour, despite her genuine want to do so. She was absolutely sure that, if she were to offer help, Jin would remind her that she was no longer under his employment and she wasn't obligated to serve him anymore. Even though she was sure they could call each other confidantes, he wasn't 'her job' any more. They both were free to go their own ways, even though their paths had, unexpectedly, converged again through the tournament. She wasn't one to help without compensation.

"Too bad you're not one to ask for help," Nina said, offhandedly flipping her bangs.

"I don't need help," Jin said, as-a-matter-of-factly… which it was, to be honest. "This is a matter I must deal with on my own."

She responded, with a shrug of the shoulders, "Of course it is. That's how it's always been, right?"

"That's how it's meant to be."

"Not necessarily," Nina murmured to herself.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

Many other queries rushed to the forefront of her mind, mostly revolving around this mystery person he sought. She didn't feel like pressing her luck though, so she chose one from the mass that concerned another Kazama.

"So, I see your partner doesn't have such a good opinion of you," she mused, starting safe. He scoffed "Like that concerns me."

Nina decided to throw her caution in the wind. "Doesn't the fact that you lost concern you?"

"It was my own fault," he said. She voiced her surprise at that answer with an "Oh?"

"Clearly, I haven't been training hard enough. I'll have to fix that as soon as possible."

"Oh," she repeated, her tone flat. "…Well, you have two weeks."

Jin nodded and made to leave, probably to start training again. That signalled the end of their conversation but Nina couldn't resist the urge to continue. Just as he placed his hand on the door opposite the one through which Lars departed, Nina spoke up.

"But, you know… if you lose another match, you're out for good."

That seemed to stop him in his tracks, but he didn't turn around. He brought his head up and said "I won't lose."

"Really?" Nina asked. Jin didn't respond immediately. He raised his right hand only to drop it immediately. But Nina knew what he meant to do.

"I won't lose."

Once he left, the sounds of the TV in the upper corner reverberated through the room again, no longer drowned out by arguments and questions. Nina collapsed onto a bench, staring at the floor in thought.

_Who could he possibly be looking for? _

He said it wasn't Heihachi, who wasn't that hard to find these days, or Kazuya, who hadn't gotten off his chair at the G-Corporation. It certainly wasn't Lars and the Kazama girl was never important.

_Who could it be?_

She'd been in every Tekken tournament. Surely there was someone else who was remotely relevant to Jin?

And, before she could strain herself to remember, a voice spoke up from the usual noise.

"_K.O! Armour King and Jaycee win!_"

Nina looked up. The screen was currently showing various shots of the two winners, the pink-clad Jaycee in particular, who was clearly enjoying the attention she was receiving. One of the announcers was shown walking onto the stage, speaking into a microphone.

"_That was absolutely stunning you two! Incredibly_ _s-_"

It all happened in the span of a second. Jaycee smirked, a microphone was snatched and the crowd went wild.

"_Can I hear some noise?!_" she yelled into the microphone and the crowd obliged all too willingly.

"_Jaycee here, with a little message for the rest of y'all who think I don't mean business!_"

She walked confidently towards their unmoving opponents.

"_I'll keep it short_," she whispered, before raising her voice. "_You underestimate me? You'll end up-_"

And she jumped (more like stomped) onto King's back.

"_LIKE THIS!_" she finished as the crowd let out an "_Oh_!"

She leaned forward, one arm shooting up to throw a finger at the audience while the other kept the microphone a good distance away from her lips as she shouted.

"_I'll be winning this tournament, ladies and gentlemen! Me! Number one! Top of the world! Y'all better remember that!_"

She gave a bow to a very enthusiastic audience, and the voices of the two TV coverage hosts returned.

"_Well, that was quite the performance! I think that makes up for past two fights._"

"_What do you suppose Armour King thinks of this, Andy?_"

"_Well, with a mask like that it's very hard to say, but if I were him I'd be pretty amused by all of this. I must say, a newbie like her being this confident… either she has a lot more planned for us or she's got her head so far up her-_"

"_YES, well, the fans love her! How did she manage to do that?_"

And while the two of them continued their mundane conversation, Nina let out a chuckle that echoed throughout the empty room.

"Not the kind of behaviour I'd expect from you, Miss Chang… I suppose we all act out at some point."

* * *

**Bonus Scene**

The minute he saw that towering blonde hair, he realised just how screwed he was. Hurriedly grabbing at Forest's arm, he made to drag him away to some other corner of the world where they both would be safe.

"Dad?! Dad, what the hell?!"

"We're just taking the scenic route!" he hissed, hoping Forest would take the hint and shut up. Naturally, he didn't.

"Dad, this arena is as scenic as it gets!"

"Son, just shut up for two seconds-"

"MARSHALL!" a deep and hoarse voice boomed through the air and he was pretty sure his heart stopped when calloused fingers roughly grabbed at his shoulder. Realising there was no escape, Law willed himself to turn around and take the red-clad, blonde bull by the horns. On first glance, he looked pissed. By the second glance, Law confirmed he was definitely pissed.

"Oh, hey Paul! Didn't see you there!" he greeted, cheerfully, in a _very_ pathetic attempt to diffuse Paul's temper. Forest even gave him the most incredulous of looks that just screamed "_Really_?"

"Didn't see me there, my ass! That why you decided to bolt?!"

"He wanted to take the 'scenic route'," Forest added, tonelessly. This earned him a glare from his father.

"Wow, Marshall," Paul sighed, looking down with his hands on his hips and shaking his head. "I can't believe it came to this."

"Paul, I'm really sorry!"

"How could you do this to me? To _us_?!"

"It came up out of the blue, okay? I just thought it'd be better this way!"

"When we had been planning this for weeks!?"

"Dad, Uncle Paul, you're both being really dramatic," Forest interrupted, touching his forehead.

"Son, _Paul_ is being dramatic. _I'm_ being reasonable."

"What's reasonable about taking your son as your partner instead of _me_?! What happened to tearing it up?! Splitting the prize money?!"

"Look Paul, I wanted to spend time with my son-"

"Ya know, when most people think to spend time with their kids, they think picnics or long trips abroad-"

"He got the latter right," Forest said.

"Not attending a _fucking_ Tekken tournament!"

"I thought we'd be able to bond better this way! No malice intended!"

"It's a bit late for that now, Marshall," Paul said, crossing his arms. He suddenly had an ominous air around him, developed from betrayal of the highest calibre. "From now on, we're at war!"

* * *

_**I had originally thought of describing the actual fight scenes but, sadly, I suck at describing fight scenes so this is the best I could do… Hopefully I'll learn how to do so in a passable manner but until then Andy and Jerry are going to help me out, bless them. **_

_**Also, I have no idea what Forest would call Paul, but Mr. Paul/Phoenix sounded too formal and Paul sounded too informal so I settled on Uncle Paul XD **_

_**So MANY characters in one chapter and I'm sure I must have screwed someone up so, if you believe so, please let me know! It's SO incredibly important to me!**_

_**May peace be upon you.**_


	8. Can We All Agree It's His Fault?

**Chapter 8**

**Can We All Agree It's His Fault?**

Leo peeked around the wall to see Heihachi walk into a room, and close the door behind him, after unwittingly leading her through countless corridors. She still didn't have a well-evidenced reason for having followed him here, but she had a feeling in her gut that insisted there were facts to be found with the CEO and Leo trusted her gut. It was probably one of the first things her dad had taught her. So when she saw him make an exit after his speech on the stage, she sprinted after him… but not without a second's hesitation.

Apart from the whole 'fifty per cent chance of not getting caught' thing, she didn't like running off without a word to Asuka.

_Well, no harm done or anything… but I should probably explain later…_

She'd cross that bridge when she'd get to it. For now, she was in the middle of a pursuit.

Heihachi's suit wearing bodyguards flanked either side of the door with crossed arms. She leaned back out of sight, reaching within her jacket for some sort of distraction to ward them away from the room. A smoke grenade was out of the question but maybe she had a noise maker on her.

At that moment, though, Heihachi's voice boomed from behind the walls and made Leo jump.

"What, are you hoping for a tip?! GET LOST! As if you'd be any use to me right now!"

She leaned forward.

The two suits grimaced at each other, gave the door a good look over… and then departed, thankfully going in the direction opposite of where Leo was hiding. In the quiet, cramped halls, she could hear their mutterings clearly.

"Annoying old fart."

"Hope he keels over soon."

_Well, that certainly made things easier._

Leave it to Heihachi Mishima's infamous ego to create an opening for her.

Retracting her hand from her jacket, she gave the corridor she was in a once over before turning the corner and silently making her way over to Heihachi's room. As she neared it, she backed into the wall and strained her ears. It turned out to be unnecessary as the old man was **loud** and she could clearly make out his words.

"-aren't in the position to be making threats to me!"

When no reply came, she assumed he was on the phone and waited for him to continue.

"Geez, where's your sense of humour? Oh, right! It was never there!"

There was a pause of a few seconds, followed by Heihachi's rough laughter.

"Need I remind you that I killed you all those years ago? You're only alive today because of those bastards at G-Corp! Your little mutation didn't help you then did it?"

_Bastards at G-Corp?_

So they dabbled with resurrection too, by the sounds of it. She doubted Heihachi would lie about something like that.

_Was mom involved with this?_

"There is no killing me, boy! Though it's good for you, seeing as I have a proposal for you… Now, now! You haven't even heard it yet!"

_Heihachi Mishima… was bargaining?_

Clearly, this person wasn't your Average Joe. But she couldn't confirm her suspicions yet so she listened for more.

"It involves your dearly departed son… You see, he's actually alive. And what's more, I've managed to lure him to my tournament!"

Silence.

"Yes, you'll be 'complete'. Doesn't that sound appealing to you?"

_Complete? What does that even mean?_

"Of course not! I won't just hand him over… well, rather, I _can't_."

The gap was short before Heihachi yelled "Don't be ridiculous! Do you not realise that I'm running a tournament?! I can't have someone die during it! It'll ruin the whole image I've built up for myself! Not to mention I need him alive!"

_Who is he talking about? Someone at this tournament… someone's son…_

"The point is that I'm offering you the chance to have at him, provided you enter the tournament as my partner… But _why not_?! Here I am, giving you a fair deal-"

He was cut short for brief a time and then begun again. "That hurts me, Kazuya! It really does!"

Hearing that name, Leo's jaw unconsciously clenched. Even if she had hoped for him to be the person on the phone, his name still lit a fire of anger within her.

"Whatever happened to kids respecting their elders? What an age we live in."

She wished he'd let something slip. A date, a location… anything. She'd gone through all this in the hopes that he'd have some info on Kazuya and/or G-Corp and he was wasting oxygen on jokes.

"Once again, your sense of humour is evident. God, you're such a bore. And he also gets that from you. At least your brother indulges me."

At the mention of 'brother', Leo's mind suddenly brought forth an image of two Kazuyas leering at each other. She shook her head to banish the thought.

_God damn, _how_ many people are in this family? At least this 'brother' isn't doing anything malicious, seeing as I've never heard of him-_

"Yeah, yeah. I don't understand it at all. But, to be fair, no one let me know he existed! But that's neither here nor there… What... Yes, he does. How else could he have participated without a partner?"

Frustrated, Leo tried to listen intently for Kazuya but she heard nothing save for a faint mumble, which was soon drowned out by Heihachi's voice.

"Some other child. I think she was also a Kazama…"

_Asuka? He's talking about Asuka! What does Asuka-_

"As if I'd know! But I wouldn't worry about her. She's talented for a child, but not a threat. Not worth my notice… or yours."

_Wait… Asuka's partner? Her partner was Jin… so Jin really is Kazuya's son?_

"What does that even mean? You're coming here?"

Leo heard footsteps from the room, increasing in volume every time, which snapped her from her reverie.

_Move!_

Without a second thought, she dashed to the end of the corridor and side-stepped into the hall, out of sight. Back against the wall, Leo struggled to control her breathing before ultimately holding her breath in a last ditch attempt to stay quiet. She could hear Heihachi's booming voice continue to talk to Kazuya, its volume fluctuating as he was (most probably) pacing the corridor.

"Well, look away! But I expect your answer once you're done!"

She heard a sound from his phone, indicating that the call had ended. Still, Heihachi continued talking.

"Heh! Miserable fool. What rotten luck I have with the family! Even Kuma's out to get me… What did I even do to _him_?"

The volume of his rant decreased slowly, implying that he had left the area. Leo released the breath she forgot she was holding and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, her glove absorbing most of the sweat. She wanted to sit down right there but, reminding herself that she was in **enemy territory**, she ran the hell out of there instead. Her mind was in disarray but she refused to go through everything until she was out of harm's way.

Finding her way out of the labyrinth was not easy and she lost track of the time she spent in it, but she eventually escaped. When she did reach the main arena, she found herself having walked in on quite the scene. The new fighter in pink was having a grand boast in front of the whole arena and everyone was enjoying it. It amused Leo how cocky she was but then she remembered that if the wrestlers were on stage right now, it meant that Asuka's battle had long since concluded. Leo _knew_ she was in for quite the nagging when they saw each other again, provided that she actually got to fight and they didn't remove her from the tournament-

_Stop. That didn't happen. Jin must have come at the last-_

And that thought brought everything back. She began sorting through the new info, thinking this as good a time as any.

_Heihachi had killed Kazuya, but G-Corp brought him back to life somehow. This may or may not have involved mom._

_Despite that, he was offering a partnership, with the offer of 'being complete'… whatever that meant…_

_Both of them were forming an alliance against Jin – Asuka's partner. _

Though it didn't sound like Asuka was a target, there's still a high chance of her being involved. She should probably tell her all this-

"You've returned."

She didn't even jump this time.

"I didn't mean to miss much," Leo responded, turning in the direction of the voice. As the newcomer folded her arms, the clinking of many bangles was heard.

"That was the consequence, irrespective," Zafina uttered. Leo had to admit, the first few times the black-haired astrologist appeared out of nowhere were pretty surprising. Now, she had learned not to question it. Even if they were partners, they had kept the introductions to the bare essentials, as per Zafina's insistence. For all she knew, the Middle Eastern woman could be a witch, or a vampire, or a secret agent, or something else entirely.

"Although, nothing of significance had transpired, save for the reappearance of Jin Kazama."

"Wait. He really showed up?" Leo asked, shocked for a second before punching the air in triumph.

_Asuka was still in the game! _

Zafina didn't take this well, as she narrowed her eyes at this movement.

"You're elated at this?"

"Uh… n-no! No, of course not!" Leo hastily put together, realising her error. "No, it was something else, I swear."

She had to be careful about that stuff, especially in front of the people who tried to apprehend/kill him in the last tournament. The Egyptian wasn't swayed but she didn't pursue it further. She dropped her arms to her sides and stepped up next to Leo, both of them facing opposite directions.

"I received a premonition regarding you," Leo heard her say. "It would be wise to abandon these conducts. They will not go unnoticed for long. In fact, I daresay they have already been noticed."

"Huh," was all Leo could say as a response to something that came out of nowhere. Zafina did say she was a fortune-teller but something about her and her 'premonitions' was different from the kind of fortune-tellers she knew about. She wasn't overdramatic or vague, and that made it difficult to dismiss her as the blonde would some others. Still…

"I never was one to believe in such things," Leo said, looking Zafina's way with a lop-sided grin. Her expression was impassive but she didn't meet Leo's gaze, instead choosing to look at the cheering crowds.

"I always work to prevent my bad divinations."

"I thought you said you can't defy fate?" Leo asked.

"Only _I_ have the power to change fate," Zafina stated, tonelessly. "As such, I feel that whatever can be prevented should be. Though there may be several similar to me, you are not of those several, Eleonor Kliesen."

"I sense an insult in there somewhere," Leo remarked.

"You discover offense from fact. Regardless, I feel that as long as you remain in this tournament, you will be safe. However, you should not run in pursuit of trouble."

Whether she said this out of sincere concern or so that she still had a fighting chance in the tournament, it didn't matter. The request was still the same and so was the answer.

"I don't really care about my supposed 'fate-defying' abilities. This is something I _have_ to do."

_It's the one thing I _can_ do._

Leo heard her partner sigh "It is impossible to reason with those like you. Those who drown in their own emotions."

"Hey, I wouldn't go _that_ far."

Zafina began to walk away with "Training shall resume as always..." as her parting words. As usual, Leo would blink and she would literally disappear.

"I'll try to be careful, though," Leo muttered, somehow knowing that she was heard.

* * *

Asuka should've known by now that she could never get away with even the tiniest moments of being a scumbag. It wasn't like she tried to be scummy, nor did it come naturally, but if she decided to do so, it would backfire. For example, say she was in pursuit of the world's biggest self-absorbed prick and she figured that she could use someone who knew him well, like his old school friend who had approached her later that night, and ultimately benefit.

Said school friend ended up arriving at her door a few hours before noon, clad in a frilly pink dress and smiling at a groggy-eyed Asuka. Though, it was probably better that she woke up earlier than usual, so she got a pass there.

Once they began their trek through the city however, she realised she had unwittingly signed herself up for the worst form of torture.

"So, Asuka, you never really told me how you and Jin are related. Are you two, like, long-lost siblings or something?"

"No."

"Alright, yeah, I guess that makes sense! I mean, how many cases do you hear of _long-lost siblings_ these days? Though, if that was the case with you-"

"No."

"Alright, alright, fair enough. I get it. So, can you maybe, _possibly_, guess what exact relation he is?"

"Nope."

"Okay then! Well, I suppose it's only natural. I mean, _who_ even keeps track of their relatives these days anyway? I can tell you right now that I only know three or four of mine, and I don't even _talk_ to them that much."

"That's nice."

"_Well_, it could be nicer! People should, like, stay close with their relatives, you know? Speaking of which, do you feel the same way? About your relatives, that is?"

"I dunno."

"Of course, of course, everyone has a different opinion on these sorts of things! But, let's say, if you had a chance to be close with one of your relatives-"

"No."

"Oh! Okay then! Nothing wrong with that! After all, _maybe_ you have annoying people in your family. I know I do! That's part of the reason I don't meet them much! Well, that and they kinda live far away but _whatever_."

Karma was really a bitch like that. She decided to use somebody **once**, just **once**. This _must_ be her punishment for letting her partner escape from her in the first place.

It was bad enough that she was still sore from the beat-down she got yesterday and now she was having her ears yakked off. Not even the din of the surrounding crowd was enough to overcome her voice.

"So are you sure-"

"_Xiaoyu_, was it?" Asuka tried to say in a tone that sounded more choked then casual.

"_Oh_, you can call me Xiao!" she chimed, patting Asuka's arm lightly.

"Uh… yeah. So, do you know where he might be?" the brunette asked, looking Xiaoyu's way.

"Oh, you mean Jin?" (Asuka glowered at the mention of his name) "Well, if he has a cell phone-"

"No, he doesn't," Asuka interrupted, her spirits beginning to falter. "Either that, or he doesn't like exchanging numbers."

Xiaoyu, having stopped in the middle of searching for her phone in her handbag, looked genuinely surprised at this revelation. "How can someone _not_ have a phone in this day and age? Jin must have one, I'm sure!"

"Okay, but I don't have his number so it doesn't matter either way," Asuka sighed. The usually enthusiastic schoolgirl lost a bit of her energy at that statement, saying ever so nervously "That's funny, 'cause I thought you'd have his number…"

Asuka stopped walking and turned to face Xiaoyu, expression incredulous. "You're kidding right?"

Xiaoyu answered with a nervous smile that faltered under Asuka's stare. Had it been anyone else, she would have exploded into a long, loud rant.

But it was Xiaoyu, with her glowing hair ties and her child-like mannerisms. She'd feel like such a jerk if she started shouting at her… well, more than she already did. So, she instead took a deep breath and asked in an especially soft tone "You both went to school together, right?"

Xiaoyu nodded, vigorously, and when it looked like she was about to say more, Asuka quickly added "So you must know him a little, right? You would know the kind of places he'd like to go to, or something like that, right?"

And so the two teens entered a cycle of disappointment. Xiaoyu would suggest a location, the two of them would go to said location, and the ex-dictator would not be found. As time passed and they walked from here to there, Xiaoyu's resolve did not waver. In fact, you could've said she became more determined with every turn. The same, unfortunately, could not be said for Asuka. She still hadn't entirely recovered from her match last night and her fading energy only contributed to the soreness in her muscles.

"_If he's not at the next place…_" Asuka hissed to herself, gripping the bridge of her nose and exhaling heavily. Once the need to punch something died down, she willed herself to look up at the sky. It was currently a mix of different shades of orange, red and every shade in-between, implying that dusk was close.

_How long have we been at this?_

She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on that thought. The brunette spared a glance her companion's way, asking "Any other ideas?"

For the first time that day, Xiaoyu looked very disheartened. Asuka wasn't going to lie, that poked a hole in her morale. She was ready to call it quits when she heard a tiny voice. "Well… we could try a park."

"A park?" Asuka repeated.

"A park!" Xiaoyu reiterated, with far more surety and energy than before. "I know one that's around here! Let's check it out!"

And so, once Xiaoyu had a secure grip on Asuka's wrist, the two took off yet again. However, even after combing through the greenery the best they could, there was no sign of the other Kazama.

"Hey, maybe we could climb one of these trees!" Xiaoyu suggested, pointing at a large and solid looking oak tree a few feet away from them. Asuka thought it was a decent idea, until the both of them actually approached the trunk.

"So… ever climbed a tree?"

"Uh, once… I think," Asuka replied honestly. "But that was a long-"

"Great! You should climb it then!" Xiaoyu suddenly said, gently pushing Asuka toward the tree. Asuka turned to protest, only to be met with puppy eyes framed by glowing bands. Asuka sighed "Fine."

She faced the trunk, going through all the ways she could do this. She jumped as high as she could and pain shot through her legs. A reminder of last night. She managed to grab at a low hanging branch regardless, only for it to snap once she pulled at it.

She winced as she landed, staring at the branch in her hand. Xiaoyu immediately spoke up with "Oh! I forgot about the match! Never mind, Asuka! Forget about the tree-climbing! I dunno how much that must hurt-"

Her body ached a _lot_ and she didn't think climbing a tree would do wonders for that. But, then again, she was Asuka Kazama, and she'd be damned before she pussied out of _climbing a tree_.

Discarding the stick, she instead wrapped her limbs around the trunk and tried to shimmy up the wood. She could hear Xiaoyu let out an uncertain "Um…"

It worked for the most part, despite the pain she felt. Once she neared a stronger looking branch, she relied on pulling herself up from branch to branch, trying to control her force so she wouldn't fall down or break any more branches.

"Any luck?!" Xiaoyu yelled from near the base of the oak, wide-eyed. Asuka settled herself on a wide branch and looked around. The sun was in the process of slipping away from the sky and its light gave the park a sort of orange tint. Even though the scene was mesmerising, she tried to find the source of her general irritation among the few individuals who had decided to stick around.

"Hmmm… nah…" Asuka drawled. She heard Xiaoyu groan audibly.

"Well, this day was just _horrible_. Jin's nowhere to be found! It's really late too…"

"… Maybe, we should call it quits?" Asuka said, loudly. Xiaoyu didn't respond immediately.

"Well… But _only_ for today, okay?! Anyway, you can come down now!"

But Asuka found she was lost in the feeling of the wind blowing at her, the sound of leaves rustling and the view before her. It felt so relaxing there, especially after the agony she went through trying to get up in the first place, and she would've stayed there if it weren't for a "Hello?! You alive up there?!"

At that, Asuka half-heartedly began to make her way down. She hopped onto a lower branch, which immediately snapped under her weight.

"Oh shi-"

Her head smashed into a branch, cutting her words short. More branches followed, smacking against every part of her body as she fell. She'd let out a yelp or a shout with every impact, trying to grab at _anything_ to stop her fall. But her fingers would only claw through the air so her painful descent continued until she finally fell through the cluster of wood and leaves, only to realise that the ground was closing in fast. Knowing she was in for a hard landing, she closed her eyes and clutched herself, preparing for the upcoming impact. Instead, she heard what could only be described as a 'zoom' and felt something grab her, bringing her to an abrupt halt. Not believing it, she refused to open her eyes or relax until she heard a soft, familiar voice say "Are you uninjured?"

Shocked, her eyes flew open, locking with the green irises of the pink-haired robot who had thrashed her the other night and was currently holding her, one arm curled under her knees and the other her back. There were jets sticking out of her back and legs that were keeping them afloat. Asuka could only gape, still processing this entire scene. The robot also remained silent, her pupils dilating as she looked the brunette over.

"Oh my God!" Asuka heard Xiaoyu yell out, "Asuka, are you okay?!"

Asuka looked Xiaoyu's way. She was jogging over to the two of them, her face showing just how scared she was. "Oh, that was just _painful_ to watch! Does it still hurt?"

"Scan complete," the robot droned, slowly approaching the ground while her eyes turned normal again. "No serious injuries sustained."

At those words, Asuka thrashed in her arms, wanting to get far away from her and her jet boosters and her scanners and just _her_ in general.

She managed to escape her grasp and stand on her own two feet, but her legs refused to support her after all the abuse, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground. Xiaoyu quickly rushed to her side, offering her hand in assistance. But Asuka stayed on the floor, glaring into the grass as her body throbbed.

She knew she probably looked like a child throwing a tantrum, but that didn't urge her get up, or say thank you, or walk away or do _anything_. The physical pain, the frustration of not being able to find her relative, the embarrassment of falling and being rescued by the one who humiliated her in front of thousands… it was like someone had dropped an anvil on her and then sat on it, crushing and pinning her to the ground.

"Alisa, there you are! Why did you fly away all of a sudden?!"

That voice…

Forcing all other feelings away to save face, Asuka bolted to her feet as quick as possible, surprising the other two girls in her vicinity with her sudden action. She would've crumpled again had it not been for Xiaoyu coming over and hooking their arms together, a subtle yet effective way of keeping her standing. Asuka gave her a brief (and rare) look of thanks before meeting eyes with an approaching Lars Alexandersson.

He slowed his pace as he neared the three women, looking to Alisa for an explanation. She responded, as if on cue. "I saw Miss Asuka Kazama was in need of assistance. I acted, as they say, on instinct. I apologise for not informing you as such."

Lars briefly glanced at the other two. They both gave him toothy smile, which he returned, albeit a more reserved version.

"You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, taking note of the way Asuka leaned on Xiaoyu and the blossoming purple patches on her limbs. "I'm not sure what happened but I could arrange for a-"

"No, no, no, no, no," Asuka blurted, raising her arm and shaking her palm for good measure. "No, it's okay! Just a scratch here and there…"

"Thank you so much, though," Xiaoyu added, performing a small bow and unconsciously taking Asuka with her. "Both of you!"

Lars and Alisa exchanged an amused look while Xiaoyu pulled her companion back onto her feet.

* * *

Asuka had been in a sour mood for the remainder of that night. So much so that Xiaoyu was afraid of making small talk and instead walked alongside her in silence, but Asuka considered that a bonus.

As always, all the initial embarrassment and sadness had morphed into frustration and ire with enough time. Lars' politeness only contributed to her cyclone of rotten emotions. He also left her feeling guilty that she even felt malice towards him and Alisa in the first place. After all, it was just a fight. It wasn't like they hated her or anything.

But even with those feelings were cleared up, that little encounter only reinforced one thought that she'd been thinking this entire time.

_Jin Kazama was to blame._

It made perfect sense to her at the time. If he had made any effort to meet up with her and work with her, they would have won that match, she wouldn't be aching all over and she wouldn't have had to comb the streets for his egotistical, high-horse perched ass.

_Well_, she thought to herself, _if he thinks that he can avoid me he's got another thing coming! I'll find him! Even if it kills me, I'll find him! I'll find him, kick his ass for the war and bash his skull for all the trouble I had to go through!_

This encouraged her to continue her wild goose chase throughout Tokyo, accompanied by an equally determined Xiaoyu. Though she did come dangerously close to being annoying, Asuka tolerated her for the most part. Two heads could search better than one anyway.

"Hey, can I ask something?" Xiaoyu boldly brought up one day while they were browsing through the shelves of a bookstore. Asuka scrunched her mouth, choosing not to reply immediately since she wasn't too sure if she wanted to hear this question. Regrettably, the high-spirited girl took her silence as confirmation to speak.

"What did you think of Lars and Alisa?"

The query was different from the previous ones, seeing as it wasn't about her, so she ended up considering her words.

"Well… they're okay, I guess. I mean, Lars is nice enough-"

"No, no, _no_!" Xiaoyu interjected, motioning her to stop. At the confused look on Asuka's face, the dark-haired youth sighed loudly before resuming. "I meant, what you think of them _together_. As in, as a _couple_."

"_Oh_!" Asuka exclaimed in realisation, only to really consider what she was asking. She raised her bandaged arm, tugging on her lower lip in thought. "Oh… well, to be honest, I never really thought about it – about them _that_ way..."

The other teen didn't consider this a good response however, her expression first astonished before it transitioned to that of disappointment, followed by one that Asuka dubbed as 'star-struck'.

"But I could tell the minute I saw the two of them together! I remember it like it was yesterday, when I first happened upon them. It was when I had to fight Alisa in the last tourney and… I lost, BUT what really got to me was how Lars was waiting for her at the foot of the stage. And the way they looked at each other as they walked together… and now they're partners again! They're just _meant_ to be…"

And while Xiaoyu babbled and sighed about the two of them with a carefree smile decorating her face and her fingers laced over each other, a thought flitted through Asuka's mind. A thought that she made sure to voice.

"But… Alisa's a robot."

"Oh, hush!" Xiaoyu snapped, rounding on Asuka with an offended front. "As if something like that matters in true love!"

It would've been easier to have just nodded along to her logic, but the brunette felt compelled to voice her opinion for some unknown reason.

"It doesn't matter to _you_," Asuka said thoughtfully as she ran her eyes through the multiple book spines in the shelf in front of her. "But not everyone thinks that way. Stuff like that could also cause problems in a relationship."

Xiaoyu didn't respond, so Asuka spared a glance her way. Her eyes were slightly wide and her lower lip was hanging, like she didn't expect those kinds of sentences from a mouth like Asuka's. Asuka should have felt insulted… but she couldn't fault her. She was also surprised.

"Way to burst my bubble, sourpuss," Xiaoyu said suddenly, pouting and folding her arms. Asuka shrugged, returning her gaze to the many books.

"But… even if they have their problems, the way they are with each other sort of… gives me hope."

Brown eyes darted once again to the childish teen, swaying in place and simpering softly with a far-away look in her eyes.

"Like, something like that is possible… like it could happen to me too."

"What, you have someone in mind?"

Xiaoyu tilted her head in Asuka's direction and gave her a bright grin.

"Maybe."

* * *

Unemployment was a God awful state to be in. Granted, there were worse states to be in but it was the one most relevant to her at the moment. But it also had its fair share of behavioural effects.

It can make people desperate, thus encouraging them to try everything in their power to make ends meet and stay alive. Yet, alternatively, it can induce boredom. And that would result in restlessness and the need to do something, _anything_, to make the days fly by faster.

That being said, tailing two high school girls in their quest to find Public Enemy Number One was definitely not one of her preferred past times. It went without saying that she had better things to do.

But, due to the aforementioned unemployment, she had decided to conduct an 'experiment' of sorts. So, she had to play her part in both observation and instigation. In the former, she had plenty of information to work with but no definitive evidence. As for the latter, she was just waiting for the perfect moment to intervene.

And, as luck would have it, it would not be that far away.

It had been a week since the first Tekken matches. The two brats had returned to the arena in the dead of the night and normally they would retire for the day after a short good-bye.

Tonight was different it seemed, as Ling divulged to Kazama that there was nowhere else to search. Despite the demotivated stance that Ling had adopted, Kazama refused to believe her words. She was unsure whether it was because of optimism or obliviousness.

It was at that point that her finely tuned senses picked up someone else entering this scene, flowing through the ever-moving crowds and approaching her two targets. One look at his face kick-started her memory and the data flowed through.

Hwoarang (Surname unknown), originating from South Korea, specialising in Tae Kwon Do, aged twenty-two, height 181cm, weight 80kg. Previously a soldier in the Korean Military (status: AWOL) and leader of the Resistance (status: disbanded), currently unemployed.

This was interesting. After all, his history was ripe with potential and he could spill something she could use later.

So she slowly loomed toward the three while sticking to the shadows, as scarce as they were in a city like this, not wanting to miss a single word.

Ling was regaining her usual vigour and had retaken her role as the idealist. She was going on about their next plan when Hwoarang made his presence known.

"Give it a rest, pigtails."

My… just with the delivery of that line, she could tell that this wasn't going to be a battle of wits. Rather, a battle of who can scream the loudest.

After the fading of whatever initial surprise was there, the first one to speak was Kazama. Unsurprisingly, she couldn't read the tension that had erupted from that one line.

"Oh hey there! Where the hell have you been this entire time, huh? Speaking of which, was Leo with you this entire time 'cause I-"

"Asuka, let's leave," Ling mumbled in a stern tone, avoiding eye-contact with the young man who stood a few metres away.

"Um, why?" Kazama asked only to notice the glare the other two were exchanging. Resting one hand on his hip, the redhead gave Ling a sardonic smile as he jeered "You guys can leave, but I doubt you'll find Jin any sooner… or at all, for that matter."

Kazama, eye-brows furrowed, opened her mouth but was cut off again by Ling, who was also radiating a considerable amount of hostility when she retorted "What does it matter to you anyway? Not like I'm bringing you into this!"

"No but watching you run around like an idiot kinda pisses me off."

"Well then _stop looking_," Ling growled the last two words, her arms thrust backwards and her fists clenched tight.

The instigator of her outburst remained where he was, unmoving and stoic. Kazama had confusion etched into her every feature, constantly looking from one to the other while she began to utter "Okay, let's all take step back-"

"What are you trying to prove?!" Ling yelled, once again interrupting Kazama. Hwoarang laughed, though it was a humourless one.

"I could ask you the same thing. But I know exactly what you're trying to prove."

One little girl trying so hard to look intimidating with shining eyes, the other trying to intervene but failing miserably and the dumb-muscle trying to convince everyone that he was the smart one. This whole spectacle was too amusing for their observer but she bit on her tongue, not wanting to give away her location with any unnecessary sounds.

Hwoarang started to take a few steps forward while saying in a slightly warmer tone "Look Xiao, you should know by now that-"

"_DON'T!"_

Everyone present jumped at the sharp rise in volume, which also attracted the attention of a few passers-by. If the dark-haired girl wasn't furious before, she definitely was now. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes were welling up with tears but, in spite of that, she had a threatening aura surrounding her. Kazama and Hwoarang showed their disbelief for the world to see and no one moved when Ling marched up to the Korean, leaving very little distance between them.

"Don't you dare," she said, her voice hoarse and fierce. And, without prompt, she continued "Don't you _dare_ tell me I should know by now. _Don't you dare_ tell me to give up on Jin! And _don't you dare call me 'Xiao' after you insulted me like that_!"

Hwoarang, seemingly snapped from his shock-prompted trance, returned her glare with one of his own and retorted "Well, _what else do you expect?!_ Do you think _anyone_ would think you're sensible?! What crack-pot goes _this_ out of their way for a bastard like Jin?!"

"What kind of loser goes _this_ out of his way to annoy other people?! I didn't bother you after our last talk! Why do _you_ still care?! _I wanna be there for Jin!_ I'm the _only one_ he has! How does that concern _you_ anymore?!"

He grimaced.

"_Just admit you're fucking wrong!_"

"_I'm not wrong! Get over yourself, jerk-wad!_"

"_You little-_"

"Both of you _calm the hell down!"_ Kazama shot, suddenly appearing by their sides and grabbing at both of their shirts before pushing them away from each other. The abruptness and strength of the shove caused boy and girl to fall to the floor. By that point, the three of them were riled up and a sizeable amount of people had stopped to watch this display.

A silence followed Kazama's action, punctuated only by ragged breathing and the murmurs of the spectators. She must not have appreciated being watched because she snatched her vision away from the other juveniles to the gaggle of onlookers, snarling like a rabid dog. "_Piss off, all of you!_"

She was expecting "What're you looking at?" but, she supposed, that could work too. In fact, never had she seen a crowd clear so quickly under normal circumstances. Rabid dog indeed.

By the time the mob had dispersed entirely, the pigtailed half-pint and the red-haired wannabe tough guy had gotten to their feet, with the former storming away without another word. She didn't care enough to see where Ling went. She wasn't her target anyway.

"Care to explain what _the hell_ went on just now?" Kazama hissed, walking up to Hwoarang and poking him square in the chest. He swatted her hand away, his fury considerably less. Kazama stood her ground, waiting for his response.

As predictable as that event had gone, she knew it had led to a perfect opportunity. So she waltzed closer to the remaining two, positioning herself right behind Kazama and leaning against the walls of the arena. As she expected, she went unnoticed.

"That…" he started gruffly, massaging his forehead. "…did not go the way I wanted."

"Well, no shit! What was going on in your head-"

"Asuka, I'm really not in the fucking mood for a lecture," he seethed, evidently exhausted. "Just… bye, okay?"

And with that, he left as well.

Kazama was not pleased, screaming after him. "Oh, _sure_! Just disappear for days and come and pull this stunt! I'm tired of people cutting me off! And _you're a dick_!"

_Three… Two… One…_

Releasing a loud, frustrated groan akin to that of a dying bear, Kazama turned around the spot. She must have planned to leave but Kazama ended up locking her eyes on her.

_Don't screw this up. Use her attitude against her._

She tilted her face up and smirked broadly, making sure the brunette had seen her. She did.

"Can I help you?" Kazama asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're out."

"… What does that-"

"Of the tournament," she added. "There's no way you'll last another match. You're just wasting time when you should be training. Didn't your master teach you anything useful?"

Kazama was stunned initially but then started turning red in the face. "Look, bitch-"

"This arena is equipped for a fighter's every need yet you don't exploit it. That is idiocy. And you don't donate nearly enough hours to your match. That is laziness. So, basically what I'm saying is you're toast."

Before Kazama could explode, she took her leave with a "Ciao", her heels clacking with each step.

Instigation complete. Now she could only hope this worked in her favour.

* * *

**Bonus Scene**

"So, where is the _actual_ Jaycee?"

Julia shifted uncomfortably in her seat at his question, not sure how to go about this.

She was by no means docile, even though lots of people thought otherwise, but when faced by _Armour King_, who somehow managed to be just as intimidating and imposing without his mask and costume, she couldn't help but feel a bit insecure.

"Ready to order?" chimed in the waitress with a notepad in hand. Armour King gave Julia an inquiring look. Seeing it was up to her, she mumbled "Maybe another minute?"

"'S fine with me."

And with that the young woman strolled to another table, leaving the two of them alone again. Not wanting to be subjected to awkward silence, Julia decided to speak. "Actually, Jaycee – or rather, Jessica – is my friend."

Armour King's gaze hardened and he straightened his posture. The scientist's speech faltered for a second before she willed herself to continue. "She got into a car accident and I… I'm here in her place. She wasn't in the position to tell you and I didn't know you were her partner so…"

With nothing else to say, she waited for his response. He didn't keep her waiting.

"Well, this is unexpected."

"I'm so sorry-"

He motioned for her to stop and she complied without complaint. "It's nothing to apologise for. It happens more than you know."

She was slightly reassured at that but her hands still clutched at each other.

"So… how much work are we gonna need?" he asked, resting his arms on the table.

"I know how to wrestle… but I'm not gonna lie, I need work," Julia confided. She figured there was no reason to keep any secrets from him, especially when bearing in mind she wasn't his first choice. He considered her for quite some time and she stayed completely still.

"I'm here to settle a score. A grudge, to be exact, against two others in this tournament."

Julia's eyes widened, not expecting those words, but she didn't interrupt.

"Marduk and King. The three of us had decided this at an earlier date. Since you're my partner, you'll be expected to take part in this conflict. Are you up to it?"

She would have to fight King…

She was not looking forward to that at all but she knew she wasn't in the position to back down, so she nodded resolutely. He gave her an impressed look, a grin playing at his lips. "That's good to hear. Everything else can be worked over."

Both of them eased into their seats for the following conversation.

"You should know why Jessica joined this tournament."

"For publicity," Julia stated.

"So you're expected to go through this tournament until you lose or win the tournament. Of course, we'll be fighting together. On stage, there's a certain character you have to pull off, but we'll get to that later. Off stage, leave your publicity stunts to me and just play along. Following so far?"

She nodded, storing every instruction in her brain.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll train you like how I trained Jessica. We have to make sure you can pass off as her in every way."

Julia sighed at that and added a grin. "That's a relief. Thank you so much Mister… Um…"

"Oh right, we should talk about that too," Armour King caught on. "It would be best not to call me by my stage name in public."

"Then, what? Surely, we're not close enough for your real name?" she mused, adjusting her glasses. He responded almost immediately "Refer to me as Ciro."

"Is that…?"

"No, no it's not. An alias," he confirmed, smiling sympathetically before adding "Sorry."

"No, it's fine. I only expected as much."

"I guess that covers everything then."

"Yes, I think so."

"Well then, put 'er there, partner."

He raised his hand for her to grab and she hesitated for a while, before she slapped her palm against his.

"Next time, respond faster," he remarked after they dropped their arms. "You and I are supposed to have a strong bond."

"Right," Julia said, her embarrassment returning. Hopefully, she won't ruin Jessica's chances at a successful wrestling career _too_ much.

* * *

_**I'll take this time to mention some things I should've mentioned before. There are and will be a lot of 'playing' with the canons of TTT2. This is because I think both TTT games are more like alternative universes of the T3 and T6 game, since in TTT and TTT2 every character's story is the exact same as in T3 and T6. In this fic, I'm trying to incorporate TTT2 as in the same universe as the main line of games, which is why this is the first tag tournament in the story and there have been a few changes in terms of the character's stories and motivations. With that out of the way…**_

_**Also, to reply to Poi, yes, yes you were right. I was referencing Jaycee's panel art in the last chapter. You, sir/madam, are a smart cookie. And there will probably be a lot more of that because I just can't help myself XD**_

_**As always, mistakes should be reported, though I am constantly editing the chapters as well but God knows I do miss a lot in the process.**_

_**May peace be upon you.**_


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